My grandma wanted to watch a movie with us one night. So, we took her pick and had a blast. As the movie went on, she kept saying she didn't remember certain parts. She didn't remember the movie being as funny as it was that night. Turns out, we were watching the director's cut.
The director's cut is the same story, but there are additional scenes added that you didn't know about. New conversations, details, or experiences help develop and make more sense of the story.
Apollos had a faith like that.
Acts describes him as eloquent, passionate, and deeply knowledgeable in the Scriptures. He boldly taught about Jesus. In other words, he wasn't a beginner. But then Priscilla and Aquila invited him into their home and, as The Message puts it, "told him the rest of the story." Now, they didn't tear down what he already knew. They expanded it. They gave him the director's cut.
How many of us assume we've already seen the whole movie?
It's easy to get so familiar with God's story, even pieces of it, that we still miss its fullness. We may reread passages we've known for years and expect nothing new. Consequently, we stop really listening because we're convinced we already know it. But the Holy Spirit still illuminates scenes we tend to skip over.
Discipleship isn't watching a different story of Jesus. The same story has been there all along. But part of growing in faith is allowing God to deepen the one you're already living.
That's why humility is a great spiritual gift. It keeps you teachable. It reminds you there is always another scene to discover, or another glimpse of Christ you haven't yet seen.
And that makes every day with Jesus another invitation to watch the director's cut and discover there's still more to the story.
Stay blessed...john
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