The ME in MEtanarrative

Several years ago, a national news network regularly showed a segment on TV called "Everyone Has a Story" (at least, I think that is what it was called).  The news network would randomly choose a city, open the phone book and randomly choose a name, and then interview that person and air their story.  It was an enjoyable feature, sharing stories of everyday Americans.  Every one of us has a story that we'd be happy to tell to whoever asks.  Unfortunately, though, the stories we tell about ourselves are only about us.


A metanarrative can be defined as a view that encompasses the whole world, or a belief system that explains everything in the world.  A metanarrative is basically one story that describes all of reality.  You know, like the Bible.


French philosopher Jean-François Lyotard wrote that he defined postmodernism (a dominant, self-centered worldview) as "incredulity toward metanarratives" (as quoted here).  In other words, there are no overarching, all-encompassing explanations.  That way, instead of believing God's truth about the world, we can all have our personal, contradicting bits of truth and reality, because, ultimately, truth and reality don't exist.  We live for pleasure, comfort, entertainment, and the pursuit of happiness.  Sounds fun, right?


Those who hold such views might have a difficult time understanding the Pilgrims.


In 1620, 102 English Christians sailed for America on the Mayflower.  Because of their unpopular religious views, they had been persecuted in England.  They had high hopes for their time in America, but they also realized the gravity of their decision.  After two months aboard a very crowded ship, the Pilgrims finally reached America in November of 1620.  They were now safe from stormy seas and no longer had to live in cramped quarters below deck.  Unfortunately, their troubles were far from over.


That winter, half of the Pilgrims died.  The Mayflower stayed in the harbor through the winter, providing shelter for those who needed it.  How the Pilgrims must have despaired as they found themselves without human help in a foreign, wintry land while their friends and family members were succumbing one by one to disease.  When spring finally came and the spread of the disease was halted, the Mayflower left the shores of America to return home.  This was the Pilgrims' chance to retreat to the safety and comfort of Europe!  Yet not one Pilgrim returned.


They, of all people, knew of the danger.  They felt the sting of loss.  They knew that the coming months would be full of toil, hardship, and more death.  Yet they stood fast.


As Winston Churchill once wisely said, "The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it and ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is."  Sometimes we don't like the truth, but it is still the truth.  And the truth is, there is only one metanarrative - and we didn't write it.  The Bible informs us that God had a plan before time began.  We weren't around for consultation.


The Pilgrims pursued their goal - not for individual accomplishment, but for the advancement of the Christian faith.  Not for comfort, but for the betterment of the future generations who would come behind them.  Not for the pursuit of happiness, but for the glory of God.  They understood that God had a metanarrative, and was weaving their stories for His glory.  This knowledge - and God's grace - sustained them through times and trials of disease, danger, and death.


The news network had it right - we all have a story.  Ultimately, however, our stories are not about us, but about how God has orchestrated our lives into His great story.  The big story of God gives our little stories meaning.  Sometimes we hear stories that didn't end like we would have written them.  What about the Pilgrims who perished that first, cold winter?  What was the purpose?  Why would God lead them on such a long journey only to have them die when they get there?  When we realize that God has a plan bigger  than our few years on earth, we can understand that, as hard as it may be for our earthly eyes to see, there is a plan, and God is in charge.

Image Credit

Risky Responsibility

Hans and Sophie with
a fellow collaborator

Hans and Sophie Scholl were a brother and sister living in Nazi Germany.  Unlike most of their peers, the two were not taken in by Nazi lies, and they refused to stand by and watch their countrymen blindly believe the Nazi propaganda.  Secretly, at the possible risk of their lives, they began distributing anti-Nazi literature, exposing the lies of the Nazi regime...and one day they were caught.


It seems that modern Christians don't always know what to do with their culture.  Some want to hide from it (the Amish come to mind).  Others see nothing wrong with living just as those around them live - and their similarities show.  The divorce rate among Christians looks more like the culture than the Scriptures.  Young adults are walking away from the church in droves; why stay when nothing is different?


John Stonestreet, of Summit Ministries and Breakpoint Radio, in a lecture titled "Christianity and Culture," reminds Christians that we are supposed to be in the world, but not of the world.  Christians can have one of three responses to our culture, Stonestreet says.  We can be offended by our culture and withdraw from it, but then we wouldn't be in or of the world.  Or, as many other Christians are, we could be distracted by our culture and assimilate it.  However, then we would not only be in the world, but we would also be of it - living just like everybody else in a culture of darkness where we are called to be light.  The final approach Christians can take to culture is to be engaged in the culture and faithful to the gospel.  In the world, but not of it.  Sometimes we find ourselves asking, "How far is too far?"  Instead, Stonestreet teaches that we should be asking, "'For what am I responsible?'"


Hans and Sophie Scholl didn't have to do what they did.  In fact, Hans wrote to a friend that it was tempting to just retreat to a serene haven outside of the hubbub of Nazi activity, ignore what was going on, and live as if everything was fine.  But he - and Sophie - chose a different path.  "Isn't seclusion a form of treachery - of desertion?" Hans wrote.  The decision was made.

"It's high time that Christians made up their minds to do something . . . What are we going to show in the way of resistance-as compared to the Communists, for instance-when all this terror is over? We will be standing empty-handed. We will have no answer when we are asked: What did you do about it?"

Hans Scholl

The brother and sister duo distributed pamphlets that counter-argued the Nazi propaganda and exposed their lies.  Eventually, they were caught and, ultimately, executed by the Nazis.

If they had seen what was coming, would they have still acted?  Probably.  They knew that some things are worth anything.

"How can we expect fate to let a righteous cause prevail when there is hardly anyone who will give himself up undividedly to a righteous cause?"

Sophie Scholl

Hans and Sophie Scholl have left an indelible legacy behind for all who would stand up for the truth in a culture that is falling for lies.  What will we be willing to risk?  How far are we willing to go?  For what are we responsible?

"The real damage is done by those millions who want to 'survive.' The honest men who just want to be left in peace. Those who don’t want their little lives disturbed by anything bigger than themselves. Those with no sides and no causes. Those who won’t take measure of their own strength, for fear of antagonizing their own weakness. Those who don’t like to make waves—or enemies. Those for whom freedom, honour, truth, and principles are only literature. Those who live small, mate small, die small. It’s the reductionist approach to life: if you keep it small, you’ll keep it under control. If you don’t make any noise, the bogeyman won’t find you. But it’s all an illusion, because they die too, those people who roll up their spirits into tiny little balls so as to be safe. Safe?! From what? Life is always on the edge of death; narrow streets lead to the same place as wide avenues, and a little candle burns itself out just like a flaming torch does. I choose my own way to burn."

Sophie Scholl

Photo Credit

Thursday's Thought

"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me,
then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him."

C.T. Studd, lifelong missionary