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THE MEMORY FACTORY
Luke 22:19-22
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you, do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him.”
“Do this in remembrance of me…” But how could the Disciples do otherwise. We remember high moments. We remember low moments. And you cannot get much higher than the Son of God and his willingness to sacrifice Himself, and you cannot get much lower than Judas Iscariot and his betrayal of this Son of God.
Remember me… It is the core of our faith, every evangelistic endeavor, this remembering who Christ was and what he said and did and how it affects us.
Remember? We do this kind of thing over and over again. Indeed, just by my talking about memory, most if not all of you, are already dredging up golden moments or muddy miserable moments.
And, while we cannot change the memories left with us by others we can affect what memories we leave with others.
Every person who has ever come in contact with us for any length of time, when they hear our name or think about who we are, feel good to have known us or wish they never had. They remember what we have said and how we said it, what we have done and how we did it, what we should have done but never did. So, when they think of us is it a contentment to them or is it a pain? Right now, think of a person, any person, think of what you did for them or to them. Has your relationship with that person you just brought to mind been a learning lesson for both of you and what kind of lesson?
There is a statement I have made and continue to make to myself on a rather regular basis. It is, “Neil, you just made another mistake. Don’t waste it. Learn from it. If making it was bad, not letting it teach you something is infinitely worse.”
It was Christmas time and the father was out of work. Actually, he had been out of work for quite some time. The cupboard was close to be being bare. They were down to having meat once a week. But it was Christmas time and there it was, a very large box sitting in the middle of a living room sparsely decorated but filled with love.
After Dad read the Christmas story from the book of Luke, he asked each of his three children to stand beside the box because, as he explained, the gift was for everyone and they had to share it. Then, with a smile on his face, he said, “Open it up, little ones.”
Wrapping paper began to fly in all directions, the large red bow ended up on top of a lamp. Finally, they were all looking at a stupendously large refrigerator box. Inside they found other appliance boxes, and medium-sized boxes that could have held a basketball or football, and shoe boxes, skinny boxes that could have held new shirts, even a couple of flat boxes that could have held board games. But all the boxes held were other increasingly tinier boxes. Finally they arrived at the smallest box of all. When they opened that box, there it was, a book entitled “Things to Make with Boxes.”
Excitedly they began to read and it was amazing what they found could be made with boxes and a little imagination. Soon they were constructing forts and castles, cars and airplanes, boats and trains, sets and scenery for make believe plays.
And today, when you ask them which Christmas was the best Christmas they ever had, well, you know what their answer is. The father and mother had lovingly created a wonderful memory for their children. Just as easily, those parents could have complained that times were very bad and created a miserable memory.
Which would you have done?
I have mentioned this story (even these few days after Christmas) because it is exactly what I am talking about. The man who shared it with me knew his mother loved him, but he could not forget the multitude of mean and thoughtless memories she had given him down through the years. I remember him saying, “She was a Dr. Jekyl and Mrs. Hyde. She could be kind and cruel all in the same day.”
What he was sharing was a Christmas day memory and it was not a pretty picture. He was a young lad, still wearing knickers, and accidentally he tore his new Christmas pants during his Christmas morning wanderings. When he returned home his mother punished such behavior by making him spend the rest of Christmas day working in the backyard; raking up leaves and twigs and cutting the hedge.
His mother was a Christian woman, taught Sunday school, and I’m sure her own memory factory had to contain copious memories of the Prince of Peace. But on that day she did not create a Merry Christmas! and a Ho! Ho! Ho memory! Not a peace on earth, good will toward men memory.
Today, if you were to ask him what is the worst Christmas memory he has, that might well top the list. Were there other miserable memories? “Over and over again” were his words, and as he continued to relate other such times he bowed his head and wept.
Are you a creator of weeping memories for folk in your family or joyful memories?
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