Their Story Is Your Story from Christianity Today
The lives and deaths of Christian martyrs aren’t lore but legacy.
If you had the joy of gathering with family over the recent holiday season, chances are high that stories from generations past made their way around the dinner table. Perhaps your grandfather spoke of his grandfather, or your mom recalled a Christmas spent with her great-aunt. You may have heard about Depression-era celebrations with few gifts and a sparse meal, or wartime observances characterized by gratitude for the gift of life itself.
Around the world, many people groups embrace such an oral tradition in their day-to-day lives. The pastime of sharing stories of generations past isn’t merely reserved for special occasions but is built into mundane afternoons and dinner dialogue.
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This is who you come from, these conversations explain. This is who we are. This is who you get to be a part of. This is your legacy.
Some of the earliest Scriptural accounts encourage us to be faithful to remember, speak, and share what God has done for and in his people. Take Deuteronomy 6, for example. God issues a communal call to the Israelites—one that comes with shared responsibility. They are to “impress” God’s commandments upon their children and to talk about them continually (6:7):
When you sit at home.
When you walk along the road.
When you lie down.
When you get up.
Later in the passage, God tells the Israelites that their children will ask them what God’s commandments mean. Rather than having them respond with lengthy explanations or lists of more rules, God commands the Israelites to tell their children stories. He tells them to share the account of God leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, and to strengthen their hearts with reminders of the God who makes and keeps his promises.
