Read

Matthew 13:34, "All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, He said nothing to them without a parable."

Think

Everybody loves a good story. In The Lion King, the antagonist, Scar, forces the King, Mufasa, off a cliff into a sea of trampling wildebeests. Believing it was his fault, Mufasa's young son, Simba, exiles himself out of shame! That scene resonates because we've all had shameful moments that drove us into guilt-ridden isolation. Stories like this touch our emotions and connect us to vital life lessons. Jesus was a master storyteller. He'd say, "Hey, did you hear the one about..." and then tell a compelling story to teach an important truth about God's kingdom. In fact, storytelling was Jesus' favorite teaching method when He spoke to crowds. Why? Because stories hold our attention, stir our emotions, and help us remember. Jesus used earthly stories to communicate a heavenly message! A parable is a word picture, an illustration. It paints a scene and introduces a suggestive visual to communicate something meant to evoke a response. Jesus' parables stirred the pot. They provoked inciting feedback and dialogue. Jesus intentionally modeled creativity to talk to people of His day in a relatable way. As His church, we must follow His lead when communicating His story - the greatest story ever told!

 

Act

Jesus modeled creativity in communication. Because we follow Jesus' footsteps, we should be creative in our communication as well. Who do you sometimes have trouble communicating with? How could you use creative illustrations and stories to better communicate your feelings and perspective? Ask God to give you some creative ideas and put them into action.

 

Pray

Dear God, Thank You for the beauty of creation and for empowering me to be creative through Your Spirit. Ignite in me a passion for taking a more creative approach to everything I do at home, work, and church. I seek to follow Jesus' lead, I ask for fresh, new, and innovative ideas, and I commit to putting them into action. In Jesus' name, Amen.