For the past several weeks I have been highlighting various cultural fables that run counter to the TSWW and draw to the forefront three cultural narratives prevalent in our culture today. First, I highlight Ariana Grande’s pop single and perfume, “God is a woman,” and point out how this bold assertion reflects a secularized point of view rife with the prominent ideology of expressive individualism. According to Grande, the title and lyrics reveal something of her truest self, which in our secular age we cannot, must not, deny.

My second post calls into question social media influencer, Gabby Bernstein’s declaration, “The Universe Has Your Back.” I point out how Bernstein’s spirituality is a mix of pantheism, self-help, New Age, and expressive individualism that encourages her followers to discover their destiny by finding themselves.

The third cultural fable hits close to home—consumerism. I expose the worldview of want just in time for Black Friday, followed by Cyber-Monday and Cyber-Monday extended into the New Year probably. Perhaps this year, more than any other, we are tempted to believe that celebrating in excess will assuage our COVID grief, abate our fear, and restore happiness and meaning to our pandemic-weary lives.

Notably, an age-old belief system called humanism, a “Good Without God” ideology, purposes to deny the existence of God and the TSWW. The American Humanist Association defines humanism as “a way of life that, without theism or other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good.” How then, I wonder, does one determine what is “ethical” or decide upon what is the “greater good” apart from the Creator?

Notably, Charles Taylor describes exclusive humanism as a radical new option in the marketplace of beliefs that accepts no final goal beyond human flourishing nor allegiance to anything else except this flourishing. Read that again, “exclusive humanism, accepts no final goal beyond human flourishing and no allegiance to anything except this flourishing.” This assertion helps us understand the force behind cultural fables in this series. If “you only live once (YOLO)” then it is no wonder that we experience the “fear of missing out (FOMO).” If the goal is human flourishing at all costs, if life leads only to death’s dark end, then it is no wonder our pursuit of meaning is so frantic.

Perhaps this brief exposure to these cultural fables will encourage more meaningful conversations that lead to deeper gospel conversations and a deeper understanding of God’s involvement in our life and death.

Be consciously conscious: Listen for the subversive narrative

So, as we wrap up this series of stories, I want to emphasize that for Jesus followers, our attention to these subversive narratives as they run alongside the metanarrative of Scripture is crucial and enables us to distinguish between cultural fables and the TSWW in our lives as well.

Jesus, in the days before the Passover and Golgotha (three decades after the Incarnation), ramps up his dialogue with his disciples with a series of warnings about impending wars and persecution. He paints a dire picture of days when nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom. Great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences, terrors and great signs will show forth from heaven, including the persecution and imprisonment of believers. Jesus says that people will faint with fear and foreboding of what is coming on the world as the powers of heaven are shaken.

This ominous description reads like a Twitter feed.

Jesus adjures, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near … when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near (Luke 21:28–31).  Jesus reminds us that during what might look like destruction, “This will be your opportunity to witness … you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives” (Luke 21:10–13, 17–18).

These warnings have caught my attention lately. We must pay attention to the signs; we must change our posture and straighten up and raise our heads; we must take every opportunity to witness. Our redemption is drawing near!

Remember the ancient story

Christmastime is a perfect time to pay attention. This season prompts us to listen again to the ancient gospel story—the one that provides the clue to every other story—Immanuel, God with us. If we listen closely, we hear the true story as it emerges in liminal spaces—tinny renditions of O Little Town of Bethlehem and Joy To the World blare from gas station speakers as the Spirit calls us to remember.

God, the Creator of the heavens and earth, conceived by the Spirit and intricately woven in the womb of a teenage virgin, took on flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man, took his first breath in a barn in the little town of Bethlehem. Jesus our Immanuel.

No doubt, this story is crazy in so many ways, is hard to believe, and appears, at first glance, as almost inconsequential if we do not pay attention—and not many did back then, except for a few shepherds in a dark field.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone all around them, and they were filled great fear. And the angel said, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!’ (Luke 2:9–11).

The shepherds, after witnessing a Halleluiah Chorus of cosmic proportions, somehow had the wherewithal to hurry off to Bethlehem to catch a glimpse of this newborn King. When they returned to the field—to their campfire and tent and flocks of sheep—glorified and praised God for all they had heard and seen (Luke 2:14–20).

The TSWW is the counter-narrative to the cultural fables outlined in this short series. I by no means want to over-simplify the complicated nature of these fables or the true story for that matter. My goal is to shed light on the current reality of secularization and its mesmerizing effect, to call attention to the galloping pluralism that exists in our midst, and to shake us loose from our comfort zone.

In the end, though, I find myself, once again, humbled by the simplicity of the true story of the whole world. I am urging us to tell it again—to ourselves and each other, to our neighbors and co-workers. Tell someone nearby the story of Christmas—relive the moment through the experience of ordinary people like the unnamed shepherds, Mary and Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah. Our stories, woven into their stories are anchored in the true story of the whole world.