BCA Graduation—May 27, 2009
"The Story of Your Life"
Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)
Text--Read by a student
Introduction
If you've had me for class or been in chapel, you know that I love stories. I love to hear them. I love to tell them. I think stories are powerful. I think there are lessons taught by stories that we would seldom learn any other way.
Stories can grab our attention and pull us into their world. They can stir up emotions and even move us to action. It’s hard to beat a good story. That’s one reason I love to read—even more than I like to watch movies.
Don’t get me wrong. I really like movies, but they’re so limited. It’s hard to adequately transfer a few hundred pages into a 2-hour movie. There’s too much cutting that must take place.
For instance, maybe you’ve seen some of the Bourne movies starring Matt Damon—“The Bourne Identity,” “The Bourne Supremacy,” or “The Bourne Ultimatum.” (Ask how many have and whether or not they liked them.) I saw the first movie, “The Bourne Identity,” about month after I finished the book; big mistake. There were so many crucial parts missing that I could not follow the plot of the movie. I was so disappointed and complained to my wife for a week (as if she could fix it for me).
Anyway, let’s get back on track. Story is powerful…and important. I want to spend a little time tonight talking about The Story of Your Life.
Message
Simply defined, a story is the telling of a happening or connected series of happenings. Tonight, we stand at the culmination of one of the happenings in your life—high school.
Stories have three main parts: the character(s), the plot, and the setting. I'd like to talk about each for a few minutes this evening. First, I'll address the plot, then the setting, and finally, I'll touch on the character(s).
The plot is the story itself. Closely related to the plot is the idea of conflict--which every story will have.
• It may be a difficulty faced by the characters.
• It may be a problem that needs to be solved.
• It may be an adventure.
Whatever form it takes, conflict will be present.
Therefore, each of you can expect conflict in life. In fact, I'm sure that before this evening started, you have already experienced it: you've faced difficulty; solved a problem or two; and experienced adventure.
Tonight, I want you to know that conflict will never end. I don't mean that in the negative way it first sounds. Let’s look at it two ways:
• FIRST—There will be difficulties and problems in life; expect them; embrace them.
o It's amazing how today's obstacles often prepare you for tomorrow's opportunities.
o Life will not always go your way. Get used to it. Learn from it. Grow from it.
• SECOND—Life is an adventure.
o Let's look at that word for a moment. Adventure is defined as...
an exciting or very unusual experience
a bold, usually risky, undertaking with an uncertain outcome
o There are some wonderfully descriptive words in those definitions:
exciting
unusual
risky
uncertain
o Life is all of those things…and more.
Life will be filled with moments of excitement—enjoy them.
Life will involve the unusual—go with it. Perhaps we can call that a “plot twist.” (i.e. me being a pastor instead of owning a funeral home)
Life will ask you to take risks—evaluate them…and then jump in when it’s right.
Life will be uncertain—expect the unexpected.
Now, let's consider setting for a few minutes. Setting is where a story takes place. Since our lives are more like novels than short stories, they will most likely play out in more than one place.
• (For instance, my story has unfolded in five states: Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana. If I were to count the towns instead of states, the number would be 10.)
• Each of those settings has contributed to my story and helped make me the person I am today.
Tonight, you’re in Hagerstown. Where did you live when you came home from the hospital? Where will you be this fall? Next year? 2014? 2019?
Setting is very important because some parts of the plot can only unfold in certain settings.
• For example: My wife’s cousin wanted to be a marine biologist.
• She grew up in Frostburg; about 2 miles from Frostburg State University.
• FSU does not offer a degree in marine biology.
• She moved to Texas to attend Texas A&M.
• Today, she serves as the resident biologist on boats fishing out of Dutch Harbor, Alaska—boats just like the ones you see on Deadliest Catch.
The point is that her “story” could only unfold that way if the setting were changed.
Perhaps some of you will be travelers while others may be homebodies. Whatever your make up, your story will be affected by the setting.
Now, let’s talk about the character in your story. This is the most important part. You see, without a character, plot and setting mean nothing. Tonight, we are here because of your story—your life. You are the main character. Right now, it’s all about you (but not after we’re dismissed).
I tend to see characters two different ways—either deep or shallow. I implore—don’t be a shallow person—do all you can to develop the main character in your story.
• Mentally—whether you’re a right- or left-brain person, develop your mind.
• Physically—take care of your body. Medical science can do a lot of things, but you still only get one.
• Spiritually—submit to God and resolve to live your life for Him.
• Socially—pay attention to the company you keep. After all, we are known by our friends.
Another way to ensure that you aren’t a shallow person is to know the value of the internal and external parts of life.
• Many people think that the important part of our stories is what happens to us on the outside.
• However, I submit that the internal story is the more important part. Your external life will simply be a mirror of your internal reality.
Please allow me to revisit the passage read before I started:
Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
In short, pay attention to your story—the plot, the setting, and the character. Tonight, we close one chapter for you. The next begins tomorrow so I’ll leave you with these words from Natasha Beddingfield and then two more words of my own:
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
WRITE WELL!
