The Power of Myths: Unveiling the Truth
Have you ever stopped to think about why so many cultures share similar myths? Stories of brave heroes, monsters, and damsels in distress are just a few examples. It’s because these tales are rooted in truth. We’ve lost sight of the original definition of myth, which is a story that explains or reveals truth. In our modern age, we’ve reduced myths to mere fantasy or falsehood. But what if I told you that every myth is a shadow cast by the light of truth?
A Deeper Truth
The reason why stories of dragonslayers are common across cultures is that they point to a deeper truth: the true story of how Jesus Christ came to free us from Satan and bring us back to God. As Joe Rigney says, Jesus’s story can be summed up in six words: Kill the Dragon. Get the girl. This is the plot of the whole Bible and all of world history. Jesus came to crush Satan and save his bride, the church.
Unpacking the Relationship
It’s essential to understand the relationship between Jesus and myths. It’s not that Jesus is just another mythical figure; rather, every myth is a pale reflection of the glorious gospel ray. As C.S. Lewis put it, “God is more than a god, not less; Christ is more than Balder, not less.” We mustn’t be ashamed of the mythical radiance resting on our theology.
The Power of Stories
Our world is made of words, and God’s words have scripted every moment of our lives. The power of myths lies in their ability to reveal glimpses of that story. They tell tales that resonate with us because they’re true to our experience in this world. There’s evil, good, tension, and struggle. But more importantly, myths help us set our daily struggles in context. They remind us that our relationships are a battlefield between darkness and light.
A Cosmic War
We need myths to remind us of our story. These stories of battle with darkness, defeating dragons, and saving the world from evil are not a distraction from daily life but a revelation of what that life really represents. We’re part of a cosmic war between evil and good, and our daily struggles are part of it. When we struggle against flesh and blood, we’re actually struggling against the powers of hell and darkness that want to tear our relationships apart.
The Spoiler
We often hide from the truth because war is a frightening thing. But what if we knew we were going to win? As characters in the story, we need to know how the story ends. Ours is a tale told by the master storyteller, a tale of Jesus and redemption. A tale of a dragon slain and a bride won. Knowing the ending gives us hope and comfort.
Fairy Tales and Children
Fairy tales don’t give children their first idea of evil or the ugly; that’s already in the world. What fairy tales provide is a St. George to kill the dragon. The myths that God has given us are not there to teach us that dragons exist but that the Dragon will one day meet his end. Children need that comfort and hope.
The Greatest Comfort
We don’t know all the twists and turns that God has written into the story. There will still be cliffhangers, tension, and real stakes. But we know how the story ends, and that’s the greatest comfort of all. Weep no more, for the Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered.
A Tale of Redemption
Our lives are but brief candles, and we’re but players with a short turn on the world’s stage. But ours is a tale told by the master storyteller, a tale of Jesus and redemption. A tale of a dragon slain and a bride won. And it signifies everything. All other myths are but a pale shadow cast by the glorious gospel ray.
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