This morning I read the Gospel of Luke chapter 1, which begins:
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Where would we be now, 2000 years after the fact, if Luke (among others) had not carefully investigated All Things Jesus and recorded what he discovered? Would any culture on earth still embody even a dim memory of Jesus Christ?
The same thing is true of families: Every family has a story. It is a story of interactions with heaven and earth, in time and space; it is where values, character and vision are formed and tested, where strength and weakness are exposed. It is all quite consequential at the time it happens! What if no one takes time to record it? The less I know about my family history, the less informed I am by it about who I am and how I got that way. That can be hard on a guy! It creates a need to play catch-up on things that are foundational to one’s well-being. That’s my take on it anyway.
And eventually we all become part of the story.