Last week we sat in on the G-d talk group. They split into 4 groups and explored different stories. While exploring they were asked to answer the following questions.
- What is the story about?
- How is this story about G-d?
- What is G-d’s role in this story?
- What does this story tell you about the person’s relationship with G-d?
- What qualities does G-d show?
- What do you like or dislike about G-d’s character?
Here is one of the stories:
“This guy’s walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can’t get out.”A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, ‘Hey you. Can you help me out?’ The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on.”Then a rabbi comes along and the guy shouts up, ‘Father, I’m down in this hole can you help me out?’ The rabbi writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on”Then a friend walks by, ‘Hey, Joe, it’s me can you help me out?’ And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, ‘Are you stupid? Now we’re both down here.’ The friend says, ‘Yeah, but I’ve been down here before and I know the way out.'”
Here are their answers to the questions:
- How is this story about G-d?
G-d could be the doctor, rabbi, friend, and/or guy in hole. Could have been a test from G-d.
- What is G-d’s role in this story?
To be G-d, G-d can always help.
- What does this story tell you about the person’s relationship with G-d?
G-d can’t help in every situation, his friend needs to take action.
- What qualities does G-d show?
Potential, uselessness
At the end of the discussing each group presented their answers. After they answered each question other groups were allowed to make comments or ask questions, which often lead to very confusing and entertaining arguments.
What do you think about this story. Feel free to put your own answers in the comments.
By mgraupe and eshamah.
I think that G-d is the friend because G-d would be helpful. G-d would help someone if they really need it.
I think that when they say the man was in a hole the hole was not physically there. Just in his head. When the story says Joe jumped down in the hole the story meant that he just shared the troubles of his friend and showed him how to get past them.