Get your story going
Let’s start at the very beginning. Can you recall the first chapter of the first book of the New Testament? Here’s a hint: A long list of unfamiliar names. It’s the genealogy of Jesus Christ recorded in Matthew 1. For years I skipped over this part. Why give attention to people who I don’t know or who don’t mean anything to me? How wrong I’ve been.
“What’s going on here? According to Matthew, he was being faithful to Old Testament theology, God does not necessarily select the noblest or most deserving person to carry out divine purposes.” - Gail Godwin, American novelist
Leave it up to Jesus to once again show us that it’s not about being popular, a huge influencer, or knowing the right people for our stories to matter. This list is full of outsiders, outcasts, and prostitutes and all are a part of the lifeline of Christ. Matthew includes five women in a list of these names at a time when women had no status. How wrong we are to think that no one knows or cares who we are.
We don’t have to know how to pronounce their names or put a face to the name to know that every person listed in this chapter mattered a great deal. Honestly our names wouldn’t stand out to them either. But to the name before then and after them, well, they mattered greatly. It was their grandfather who taught them their skill. It was their father who spoke truth and lived with integrity. It was their grandmother who abandoned a sinful cycle and surrendered to God and changed the course of her family. It was their mother who never took her eyes of God and always had a story of His faithfulness to share.
In a genealogy someone brings someone into this world to influence, disciple, love, and care for. In the genealogy of the Christian faith someone introduced you to Christ because they loved you. We continue the genealogy by telling someone we love about Christ. Therefore we are all linked. We are all connected.
Jesus called Peter and Paul. Paul called Timothy. Someone called you. And you must call someone else. To the people in the family of God, to those who introduced you to Jesus, who come alongside you, teach you, serve with you, you would say they matter greatly, right?
I reached out to my parents in writing this post. They are the ones who introduced me to Jesus. Here was our text exchange:
Me: Mom and dad, I’m working on a blog post based on the genealogy found in Matthew one. I’m encouraging people to develop their spiritual genealogy in terms of who introduced them to Christ and who they are pouring into. With that said I know both of you introduced me to Christ. Who introduced you to Christ? And then who introduced that person to Christ?
From mom: Shauna, my third grade school teacher, Mrs. Lucille Didley was a godly woman who I admired greatly...we heard a short Bible story every morning after we pledged allegiance to the United States flag....my heart was already getting tender to the things of God. It was my fourth grade Sunday School teacher Mrs. Crenshaw @ First Baptist Church, Alpharetta, GA who actually shared God’s plan for salvation with us girls....I caught it in my heart & mind and understood Jesus’ love for me and knew I had sinned against a loving God and needed forgiveness. I was baptized the summer of 1960 @ a summer revival (week long evangelist worship meeting)....I have no idea who told those two precious ladies about Jesus! I just praise God ~ someone did! In all of my husband pastor’s churches & interim churches ~ I believe my gift is “encourager”....through the years I have had & have several older ladies pour into me to which is priceless. We should all be about “being discipled” and “discipling others” to the glory of God. They have been dead & in glory now for decades 🥰🥰.....my pastor’s wife Mrs Ginger Hatfield and my pastor Ben Hatfield poured into my young life as pre-teen; teen, college years and they both mentored Harris & I for years after we were married ❤️❤️ Seriously Shauna, I don’t want to even think about my pastor/wife not being in my life!!! They loved me & poured into all us teens...
From dad: To be simple and specific my pastor Marc Bramlett is the one who prayed with me as I said yes to Jesus. Nana and Papa and my Sunday School teachers also poured into me the teachings and ways of Christ.
This is where all great stories start. At the beginning. In obscurity. I want to help you get your story going because your story matters. But first, we have to be okay with not everyone knowing who we are. I don’t know Mrs. Crenshaw or Marc Bramlett, but they are a part of my spiritual genealogy. So is my friend Hannah, pictured below. This kinda stuff often goes overlooked just like Matthew 1. But it’s this kinda stuff that supernaturally holds us together. And who could use some togetherness right now?
More? Stumble and have fun reading through Matthew 1 in a fresh new way.
Act? Write a note of thanks to the person who introduced you to Christ. Make a list of the people in your life who you speak to on a regular basis, who are a part of your family, and who simply give you the time of day. Pray that God would work in their hearts and use your story to introduce them to Jesus.
Meet my friend Hannah. I got to share Jesus with her, but so did Danee and Chris and others. She’s now sharing Jesus with others. We are a part of the genealogy of Christ. So get your story going!
there’s just nothing better in this world than sharing Jesus and them sharing Jesus.
Do you want to know more about Jesus who has changed my life for the best?
I’d love to talk with you. You can email me at shauna@shaunapilgreen.com and I’ll respond soon.
Next few posts:
Stories Not Making the News (Real life stories from subscribers! You’re about to be amazed!)
Stories That Spark Change
Send Me Your Dark Stories (because we’ve got to go there)