Everyone knows someone who can spin a yarn. At gatherings, they capture the attention of those within earshot and never let go until the fish is caught, the lost item is found, or someone is saved from complete disaster. There is a smile in this storyteller’s voice, a way about their words. And their stories get passed down and around until they become nothing short of family lore.
On a larger scale and in much the same way, history’s best storytellers and their stories endure. Homer’s poetry. Shakespeare’s plays. And yes, Jesus’ parables. It’s likely — whether you’re familiar with Jesus’ personal story or not — that you’ve heard a few of his narratives. Perhaps it’s “The Prodigal Son” or “The Good Samaritan”? Even if those titles don’t ring a bell, you’ve probably heard their retellings. Because we haven’t let these stories go. Jesus captured our attention with them.
During his time, it’s obvious he captured the attention of his immediate audience, too. He was known to draw a crowd whenever he spoke, whether walking outside or sitting around the dinner table. And you can imagine the joy in his voice when he spoke about a shepherd finding his lost sheep or a father welcoming back his wayward son.
Jesus’s stories were — and still are — compelling.
But like all good stories with staying power, they do more than entertain. They hold meaning. That’s what gives stories their value. Some call Jesus’ stories “logos,” which simply translates to “word,” but we all know words must be put in the right order to amount to anything. And Jesus ordered his words with purpose, pointing to the truth about wisdom, discernment, and love. When we see this “logos” in any story — from Jesus’ parables to our favorite fairy tales, from popular movies to the news — we recognize it. It resonates when goodness prevails. And this goodness is what holds us all together. It’s part of our shared human experience.
This is why we can still look to Jesus’ stories and use them as reference points. It turns out, things haven’t changed that much. Humans are still humans, and the world still runs on stories. And Jesus told some of the best of them.
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Did you know Jesus told nearly 40 parables?
There are so many to discover, but here are the few mentioned above:
Parable of the Prodigal Son: Luke 15:11-32
Parable of the Lost Sheep: Matthew 18:10-14
Parable of the Good Samaritan: Luke 10:25-37
