Tag: story

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Why did Jesus teach in parables?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com

“The disciples came and said to [Jesus], “Why do you speak to them in parables?” (Matthew 13:10)

That’s a great question. To tell you the truth, I have trouble understanding Jesus’s answer:

“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” (13:11-13).

Huh?

After a little reading and a lot of thought, it makes a little more sense to me. Jesus wants some people to get the point of the parables. But he doesn’t want everyone to understand.

Those who believe that Jesus is the Christ will gain insight into his kingdom. His stories help this believer comprehend spiritual truths that would otherwise be over my head.

But if you’ve already rejected Jesus, if you are someone who’s plotting against him, additional spiritual truths will only make things worse. Plain teaching only further hardens dull hearts. At this point in his ministry, Jesus doesn’t need that. Their time will come, and they will put him to death. But not yet.

Jesus’s parables quickly divide the room. You’ve got the disciples who want to know what they mean. And then you’ve got others who think he’s just the carpenter’s son. It will sound like nonsense to them.

But to those who cried out to him for mercy, followed him to hear more, and confessed him to be the Christ, the Son of God, his stories lodged permanently in their minds. They got it because they got him.

I read somewhere that our minds are wired for story. Businesses know that. Video creators know that. God knew that. The bible is filled with so many memorable stories. Jesus knew it, too.

Posted in Life

Everyone Has a Story: Empathy in Daily Life

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash
Daily writing prompt
What’s something most people don’t understand?
View all responses

The list of things that people don’t understand is long. But for the purpose of this post, I’ll propose that most people don’t understand that everyone has a story. And chances are, you don’t know their story. Just as they don’t know yours.

What’s behind a person’s rude comment? Or impatient remark? What happened that morning to cause someone to cut ahead of you in line, lean on their car horn, look at you like they wanted to shove a knife in your gut, or suddenly push you out of the way.

I have no idea. I don’t know what the doctor just told them. I don’t know what just broke on their car. What’s leaking in their house? I don’t know what kind of trouble their child just got into. Maybe they just their job. Or a close friend.

I think most people don’t understand that we all have a story. Very few care about how my day went. Or what my struggles are. And to be honest, I don’t care about you and your problems either. It’s strange. We tend to be wrapped up in our own little world.

What if? What if I paused for a moment and listened? What if I simply asked, “What’s going on?” What if I cared?

I hate those questions. They are haunting and convicting. I know I should seek to understand. I too often forget. Be patient. Show some grace. It’s ok.

Everyone has a story. Find out what it is.

Posted in Ministry, Moments of grace

A room, a meal, and a trip home

Posted on by William Douthwaite

As I was paging through an old journal today, I came across this story from July 20, 2017. I don’t actually remember this day, but I’m glad I took the time to write it down.

Wayne called the church about 10:30 am, wanting to talk to the pastor. I took the call, kind of knowing what to expect. He spent the next ten minutes unfolding his story.

Wayne was from West Hollywood, California. He had just take a train to visit his family in Marathon, Florida. A couple of hospital stays had used up the money for a return trip ticket. Little by little, he had made his way up I-95 to the Econolodge in Palm Coast. A friend had bought him a train ticket home, and he would be leaving tomorrow from Jacksonville. All he needed was one more night at the motel and a little money for food, and he would be on his way.

Wayne assured me that he was a Christian. In fact he was helping to plan an LCMS (Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod) congregation in California. That’s why he called our church and asked to speak to me. I told him I could help him out, and would meet him in at the motel in about an hour.

We sat and talked in the lobby for while, as he added more to his story. He had a home in California, as well as a care-giver. He had AIDS and was on forty-two different kinds of medication. His personal physician said he only had four or five months left. So he planned on using that time to witness.

Was his story true? Was any part of it true? I have no idea. I just helped him out. I paid for one more night at the motel, gave him fifty bucks for food, and prayed for him and his ministry.

In years past I might have asked more questions. But I learned not to overthink it, and just help as best as I could. I wanted to tell them, “You don’t have to tell me the whole story. All you have to do is ask. I’ll help.” But maybe they wanted to talk, tell their story, and be heard. When someone is listening, you are somebody.

Jesus was good at this, wasn’t he? He didn’t just heal people. He talked with them. “What’s going on? How can I help you? What do you need? How come you’re lying here? Let’s go back to your place.”

It’s good to remember that even though he knows what’s on your mind and in your heart, he still likes to hear your story, too.

Posted in Lent devotions

I am part of the story!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” devotion for Sunday, March 21, 2021. Photo by RoseBox رز باکس on Unsplash

And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. (Mark 15:21)

I’m always fascinated by Simon’s experience as he simply walks through a gate into Jerusalem and is conscripted to carry Jesus’ cross to Golgotha. I imagine he’s just gotten into town from a town in northern Africa and he has no idea what is going on. Suddenly a soldier grabs him, says, “Carry this,” and just like that he is part of the passion of Jesus.

Continue reading “I am part of the story!” →
Posted in Advent devotions

The Cast of Advent: December 24 – All those the shepherds told

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash

And [the shepherds] went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. (Luke 2:16-18)

They came, they saw and then they talked about it. The shepherds had quite a story to tell. Their shift that night had included angels, an announcement, and a baby lying in a manger.

Who did they tell? I’ll bet they talked about this over a drink with their buddies after their shift. Or whatever that looked like 2,000 years ago.

I’ll bet most days and nights as a shepherd were uneventful. Not many stories to tell. An occasional wolf to shoo off or a stray to recover. Shooting stars in the sky.

How many believed their story? It’s out there, for sure. The audience may have “wondered,” but they may have wondered whether it was true or whether the shepherds were simply spinning a tale or had started drinking before their shift ended.

At the beginning of the gospel, Luke tells us that his account is based eyewitness testimony (Luke 1:2). Do you think he sought and found those shepherds who recalled what they had seen years ago? If so, I’ll bet their story was just as compelling as the first time they told it. it’s still compelling when we hear the story!

Don’t forget: it’s just as compelling when you tell the story, too!

Thank you, Lord, for all who told the story and continue to tell the story of the baby lying in a manger. Amen.