Everyone loves a good story. If I talk about how Megan and I fell in love, how we were led to adopt our three children, or how we moved from a Chinese city of 15 million to Southern Indiana, people are all ears. It doesn't matter if the person is seven or seventy, Jew or Gentile; people of all ages and all walks of life find good stories engaging, prompting them to think and feel deeply.
Jesus, of course, knew the power of stories. He was the master storyteller, and He frequently told stories to teach truth in a way that was relatable and easy to remember. These stories, called parables, may seem simple, but they have deep symbolic and spiritual meaning. Over 30 of them can be found in the Synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John.
You don't have to be a Christian to be familiar with some of the parables. Many people can tell you a little about the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Do you have a favorite parable? What is it about that parable that you like so much? If you have children, consider discussing this with them this week. A conversation like this will probably stick in your child's mind longer than a long list of do's and don'ts.
So what's up with all the parable talk? Well, it happens to be our theme for this year's chapels. At our SIX chapels (preschool and prekindergarten, kindergarten-1st grade, 2nd-3rd grade, 4th-6th grade, 7th-8th grade, and high school) at Evansville Christian School, we'll teach six popular parables from the Gospel of Luke. Please join us if you can! I also want to encourage you to read and study these parables on your own and with others. If you have a genuine hunger for the Lord, I assure you that you will be blessed with divine truth that can help you live a life honoring to God. To God be the glory!
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. Luke 18:1
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