When a Story Is the Best Response...Continued from page 1

Stories Reveal Worlds That Are Otherwise Closed

Stories are a wonderful way to reveal worlds that are otherwise beyond our natural experience. Jesus often used parables to reveal something about God the Father, the kingdom of heaven, or the final judgment. In each case, the parable helps us understand a truth about a world that would otherwise be closed to us. Here are the parables that Jesus told to reveal hidden things:

The Asking Son (Matthew 7:9-10; Luke 11:11-12)

The Budding Fig Tree (Matthew 24:32; Mark 13:28; Luke 21:29-30)

The Empty House (Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26)

The Friend at Midnight (Luke 11:5-8)

The Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)

The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10)

The Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:3-7)

The Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19)

The Net (Matthew 13:47-50)

The Pearl (Matthew 13:45-46)

The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)

The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

The Thief (Matthew 24:43-44; Luke 12:39-40)

The Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16)

The Yeast (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:21)

In each of these parables, Jesus reveals in a wonderful, memorable way something hidden about God, the kingdom, or the future.

Here is a story that a judge used to reveal the hidden motives behind his behavior.

A judge with an exemplary record and unquestionable character came up for reelection. Most of his colleagues were confident that he would retain his seat without contest. But then, a challenger stepped forward.

To everyone's surprise, this new opponent launched a vicious mudslinging campaign. Unfounded allegations of wrongdoings began to circulate about the judge. Although most people believed the criticisms were false, eyebrows were raised as seeds of doubt were planted.

As the campaign progressed, the judge refused to comment on the accusations being made against him. Finally, someone asked how he planned to handle the rumors. The judge shared this wisdom:

"My family used to have a dog. On nights when the moon was full, that dog would howl at the moon all night. But despite all the dog's noise, the moon continued to shine. Well, I'm going to continue to shine while my opponent makes all kinds of noise."²

Of course, the story does not tell us whether the judge was re-elected, but it does show us the hidden world of his personal mo­tives and inspires us to behave in a similarly honorable way.

Stories Clarify or Reinforce Role Expectations

A story is a powerful way to clarify or reinforce a role expecta­tion. Jesus often used parables to describe what a disciple is ex­pected to be and do. His expectations that a disciple would be "the light of the world" or "the salt of the earth" are presented in memorable parables. Here are parables Jesus told that help us understand role expectations: