Tuesday, May 6, 2008

REPEATING YOURSELF

After last week's message on dealing with worry, I recalled that I had used that example before. How long ago I do not know, but since I've become a bit paranoid about repeating myself, the fact bothered me. All preachers and teachers must repeat themselves, and some stories are good enough just once.

But I have decided to stop apologizing for repeating myself. After all, how else do we learn? And how many times have parents had to read the same story over and over, begged by their little ones? Maybe it's because in this modern world we've come to think all things must be new all the time. But a wise old fellow named Solomon once said, "There is nothing new under the sun," (Ecclesiastes 1:9). So how can we help but repeat ourselves now and then?

We learn mostly by repetition. Every major new lesson in life comes that way. No one wakes up one day and decides to walk or talk. It starts with small steps or endless babbling of sounds, until one day a word is formed or a step is taken, then another, then soon they're walking and talking all the time.

The Bible encourages parents to teach children. Deuteronomy 11:19 says, "Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." That's why the Gospel of forgiveness by faith in Jesus needs to be heard over and over. Jesus loves us and we need His forgiveness! Few important things are learned after hearing them only once.

So it's good and necessary to repeat some things. Not all things, of course - we've all told forgettable stories, and we certainly don't need to rehearse our aches and pains. But a good story bears repeating. So when you hear that story for the second or third time, smile and listen again. Maybe even thank the teller, because one day you will be there, too.

Did you hear about the lady who wanted to be buried with a fork in her hand?

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