Better Picture or Bigger Story?

Our kids are not safe. It only takes one desperate teenager with a gun to prove that we are not able to protect our children 100% of the time. That is reality.

When tragedy strikes, we realize that time is short. This life is but a breath.

If we are holding up a picture for our children that we cannot promise with 100% certainty, what happens when reality hits and the picture is shattered?

We can tell our kids, “We do everything possible to keep you safe.” What happens when “everything possible” is not enough?

A 5-year-old recently told me with conviction that he is going to live a long time because he’s smart. He eats healthy and exercises so his mother has assured him that he is going to live a long life. I appreciate what his mom is teaching him about making healthy choices, but are those choices a guarantee?

When we cling to a better picture mentality, we feel good when the picture looks focused and bright. Things get murky when the picture gets fuzzy and dark. Disappointment, doubt, depression, despair…those are the realities of a better picture gone bad.

The Bible tells a bigger story. The story of the Bible leaves room for the broken, the painful, the unexpected and the tragic. It is a story of hope for the hopeless. It is the story of healing for the broken. It is the story of restoration for the estranged.

God’s bigger story has guarantees.

God is big enough to handle whatever we face. We can trust Him no matter what. The kingdom of God is here and is coming. Following Jesus brings life and peace. For those who love God and are called according to His purpose, He is working all things for good. Only God knows the number of our days and he has ordained them all. Eternity with God will not involve tears or pain.

Here’s the Big God Story in a nutshell:

God created the earth and everything in it, including man who was made in the image of God with the very breath of God. Man began in perfect relationship and true freedom with God until he sold himself as a slave to sin. God intervened by creating a rescue plan that involved laying down his own life to pay our debt so that we can live in a restored relationship with Him in true freedom for eternity. We can live a life of joy and peace in the midst of pain and chaos when we abide in Christ.

If that’s not good news in a broken world, I don’t know what is.