If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Jesus spoke volumes through His stories. His stories have stretched the greatest minds and fed the simplest ones. They have the power to pierce the hardest hearts and to shape souls. In Matthew 13:34 we read, “Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.”
So, why did Jesus speak in parables? He used images and characters from everyday life to illustrate His message. His stories appealed to the old and young, as well as the rich and poor. Jesus gave significant thought to the way He taught so He would speak and connect with not just the great minds of His time, but also with the simple and uneducated people as well. In fact, a third of His words recorded in the Bible are parables. They were designed to help get the truth to everyone.
Maybe you have never been to church, maybe you have been attending all your life, or you are just coming back after a long break? Wherever you are in your life journey, take some time this week and read one of Jesus’ parables -- He wanted to get to the core of a person’s being – their heart, their mind, their emotion, and their soul. Make a personal commitment to Jesus as you open yourself up to His teaching, letting Him have free reign in stretching your mind, piercing your heart, and shaping your soul.
Start with Luke 10:30-37 – The Good Samaritan. Not only will God challenge you to look inside yourself, but also to ask yourself how you look at others. Don’t get frustrated if the meaning doesn’t pop at you. The Hebrew word for parable is ‘marshal’ – which means “a riddle” or a “puzzle”. A parable was something one had to think about. Many times, the meaning of a parable would not immediately set in, but later on that day or even that week, one would say “AHA!” and understanding would come. Expect the Spirit to speak as you begin to know God in new and fresh ways.
Imagine your new life with Jesus as a blank canvas that allows Him to paint His story of grace, love, and truth with each brush stroke. If a picture is worth a thousand words then imagine what people will see when they see you living life with the life giver...causing everyone who meets you or sees you to be in awe at the beautiful masterpiece that is being presented and realize that only at the hand of God could such a treasure be truly found.
Less
of Me More of Him,
Rick
