Over time, the villagers decided to create a library of works to celebrate this person and their relationship with the village. They asked respected artists, poets, story tellers, historians etc. to put together works that would tell the story of this person and their relationship with the village.
All works were carefully scrutinised by a committee, who ensured that the works all accurately reflected this person and/or their relationship with the village, while respecting the creative freedoms to explore the relationship in different ways.
People in the village insisted that they felt the spirit of that person, even though they weren't physically there anymore. Those who participated in the project were all inspired by this spirit and felt a deep connection.
For example, one artist chose to write a love story, where they depicted this person as a handsome young man, singing praise and adoration over his fiancée.
Another story teller chose to depict a battle, where the person protected the village from harm, and repelled the invaders.
A local historian decided to tell a story about this person's birth, where they were born, who attended, what it was like to be the parents, and so on.
These collected works were put together in the middle of the village in a magnificent library, for all the world to see and enjoy.
They tell a story of one person and their relationship with the village, but invite us all to consider our own relationship with this person, including the challenge of thinking our village might be bigger than we think.
That's how I see the Bible.
Who wrote the Bible? The story tellers, the historians, the poets.
Who inspired the Bible? The Spirit of God.
What does the Bible tell us? A million stories that point to Jesus Christ and his love for all creation.
