Throughout millennia of Bible narratives, many hidden stories or 'other lessons' inside of popular stories await the curious ones among us. Most will not investigate beyond the obvious, and that’s fine.
Some will. It is for you I write this.
One such example is what I call, “On the Other Side.”
I heard that phrase spoken every time an elderly relative died. And I never got used to the requirement to view their lifeless bodies over at the Roswell funeral home.
However, it was motivational!
I wasn’t sure where the other side was, but, based on what I saw, I decided to do whatever it took to keep me on THIS side!
Of course, the phrase is rich in meaning—a metaphor for life after this life. And it’s a biblical phrase. For example, God saved the Hebrews from death at the hands of Pharaoh by opening a way to safely "cross over to the other side" of the Red Sea. Years later, He stopped the flow of the Jordan River so they could cross over in dramatic fashion into the ‘Promised Land’ of Canaan on the other side.
Woven into the fabric of the folks who grew up near the southern tip of the Appalachian Trail, this writer included, phrases like this are common in everyday conversations. In fact, I know of no group of people who uses metaphor better than the people of the South. If one of us is having difficulties in life, we may say things will be so much better on the other side of this situation, storm, ordeal, etc. We use it in logic as well—“I’d like to go fishing. But on the other hand,” (a variation of the other side) “I’ve got chores I promised my wife I would do.”
So, you can imagine the excitement in a southerner’s mind whenever he reads that Jesus used familiar words in the context of a popular Bible story about one of His miracles.
Shortly after a series of parables to a large crowd by the Sea of Galilee (in Mark 4), Jesus said to His disciples, "Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake. So they set out, AND many boats with others from the crowd followed."
Suddenly a fierce storm (another metaphor for southerners) descended. Darkness, angry clouds, high waves, and forceful wind beat against their boat and it began to fill with water. In the middle of that horror, they were sure they would drown. Jesus was asleep.
They rudely awakened Him and cried out in fear. So He ordered the squall to, “Muzzle it!” And on the other side of His command, there was complete calm. And . . . they found themselves out of the storm and on the other side of the lake.
The boats filled with the crowd had turned back at the sight of the storm.
Nobody can interpolate and permutate better than the people of the South. So here’s a sample of this Southerner’s way of seeing a story inside of a story: At this time in our national history we are experiencing several raging storms (metaphor) brewing and swirling about us. And each new clap of thunder or howl of the wind makes us a little more uneasy. On top of that, we have our own personal storms—just like the disciples.
Stopping storms is not within our power; at least not our power alone.
Only One knows how to handle them. Will we petition God in faith in the middle of storms? And if we do ask, will He bring us to the other side of the storm like He’s done so many times before?
He really is the Lord of everything. No restrictions; no exceptions. Nothing can overpower Him. Ever. So stories like this can help thinkers change our attitudes.
The next time chaos appears suddenly “out of nowhere,” perhaps it was never meant to harm, frighten, or dishearten us, at least not those who trust Him. He allows them here; orders them here just like that storm of old to quarantine the people in HIS boat from evil, from darkness, and fear, AND especially all the faithless ones in those “other boats!” I’m pretty sure all of us understand that metaphor. Now then, my friend. Isn’t it wonderful here on the other side?
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