Contemplative Bible Reading

2 Peter 1:16 (New International Version)

We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

In my life, I have on several occasions come across the idea of stories. As a child, we heard Bible stories. My father used to read to my two brothers and me from a story book. The main character was a little boy named Little Brown Coco. The book contained Bible stories.

I attended a church school for grades 1 through 5. I recall our first grade teacher Miss Lois Campbell (see footnote) starting our day by telling us Bible stories from the Old Testament. That is where I learned much about the Old Testament characters.

Recently, a consultant has been visiting our church. One of his themes is for us to discover and recount the stories of our Christian lives and of our church. By knowing and owning our stories, we can lay a foundation for where we as a church are to go.

This passage in 2 Peter mentions cleverly invented stories. Those are not the kind of stories that Peter and the other apostles tell about Jesus Christ. The stories of Christ were of truth, glory, and majesty.

I wonder about my own story, the story of my family, the story of the Christians I have known in my life. Christians like my dad and like Miss Lois Campbell. Those are not cleverly invented stories. They are some of the wonderful stories of my life.

Footnote

Yes, Miss Campbell was a “Miss.” She was the classic old maid school teacher. As best as I can determine, she taught in church schools her entire adult life. I met her a few years ago, and she was still teaching ceramics or something in a church school a few days a week. I guess she was in her 80s at the time. By  the way, she taught my dad in high school. That is a long teaching career.