Just a little over six years ago, Hamilton debuted on Broadway. Whether you have seen it or not, this biopic production raised the bar on music composition and production design. Through rap, sonatas, and ballads, much of Alexander Hamilton’s life is chronicled. The final song, entitled: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story? presents us with a conundrum about who is included in history and who is not. The musical Hamilton is based on the novel Alexander Hamilton by Alex Chernow. A mere 818 pages are dedicated to this often overlooked, rarely mentioned instrumental founding father of our nation. Hamilton’s legacy is far-reaching as he developed the financial base for the country. He is also one of the co-authors of the Federalist Papers which defended the Constitution.
He isn’t the only person who receives very little space in our history books or in the discussions we have around who has made a significant impact on who we were, who we are, and who we have the potential to become.
During Black History Month, we are encouraged to explore the inventors, innovators, and initiators of change in all aspects of our culture and society who are African American. Other months are designated for Asian Americans (May), Hispanic Latino Americans (mid-September to mid-October), and Native Americans (November). I am hoping that we take the time to share our multicultural heritage each month, in addition to the one month which has been designated for them.
Our Holy Bible is full of people who have been touched and transformed by God. We have four Gospels that offer us different ways to see Jesus. The Epistles of Paul shares what it was like to plant churches and begin a new way of life for the first Christians. Each Old Testament Book invites us to walk with women and men who dedicated themselves to our Lord’s covenant and yet struggled to keep the Commandments.
We have a rich heritage, filled with people we can name and others who we only know by where they lived, when they met a prophet or the Messiah or how they sinned. Whenever I read the beginning of First Chronicles, I often wish I knew more about those listed there than their names. I also wish I knew the names of the Woman at the Well, the Canaanite Woman, or the homeowner, whose roof was destroyed by the friends of the paralyzed man. Still, I share these and other narratives from the Bible because I see each of us in their spiritual journeys.
Whether you are a Lectionary preacher or develop your own Sermon Series, I invite you to look for a person who is part of the narrative. Maybe preach about Samson’s parents or King David’s brothers. Consider what it might’ve been like for those who looked forward to sharing the growing pains of their faith community with Paul, Silas, and Timothy. What happened to Jairus’ daughter and the daughter of the Canaanite woman after Jesus healed them? What was it like to serve on the Sanhedrin and be the minority voice like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus? What happened with Laban after Jacob and his family left? The possibilities are endless. How will you continue to tell our Lord’s story? May you be blessed. And Amen.