Along the coast line of the Sea of Galilee lies a little stop in the road community in the middle of a very green farm area, called Kibbutz Ginosar. We stop to see the 2,000-year-old boat at the museum, but outside, like an overlooked simple lace collar on a beautiful dress, the mosaic benches line the sculptured lawn, making a welcoming place for people to sit as they soak in the fresh air and sunshine. A kibbutz is a place of growing, a farming area that sustains the people of the area. This is not the only kibbutz in this rural area, and many of the people around, farmers by trade and by heritage, have passed along the lands around from generation to generation. As we sit and ponder the stories on the mosaics, we remember that so many of Jesus’ stories center around farming communities like this one. Many of the analogies or parables of Jesus’ stories tell tales of simpler times and timeless truths that have been passed down from one generation to another in these rural agricultural communities.

As a human family, we pass along stories of national struggles, civic struggles, family struggles, and racial struggles from one generation to the next. Often overlooked, however, our faith stories are important for us to share with others so that they may learn to follow Jesus and to learn from his teachings. The Psalmist says that the children of Israel were to teach the following generations of God’s faithfulness to Israel through the historical acts of divine guidance, mercy and grace so that the story of God’s faithfulness would not die out, and the people would not forget about God’s goodness. God has brought our nation through some important struggles as well. We continue to struggle together as a nation to better understand what divine love looks like and how we can live it out more faithfully than ever before. What are some of the stories of God’s faithfulness in your own life that you can share with your children and the next generation to inspire them to live faith-filled lives? Pass it on.

Rev. Jan McCoy is the Associate Pastor of Covington First United Methodist Church in downtown Covington. She may be reached at jan.mccoy@ngumc.net or at covingtonfirst.org.