By D. Bruce Seymour
If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten. (Rudyard Kipling)
Whenever we face a communication challenge, telling a story is a good option, and sometimes it is the very best option. My research suggests that there are five situations in which a ministry story (or parable) may be the very best way to respond. Stories are an effective way to
• explore a range of plausible endings.
• reveal worlds that are otherwise closed.
• clarify or reinforce role expectations.
• provide key insights.
• challenge beliefs or behaviors.
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By my count Jesus told at least 46 parables, and sorting them into only five categories cannot help but be a bit arbitrary. Obviously, some of His stories could fit into several categories, and the greatest ones (like the Good Samaritan or the Lost Son) could be seen as fitting into all five categories. Nevertheless, by looking at the parables according to these five categories, we can gain some insight into when Jesus thought a story was the best response and what sort of story He told in that situation. For space reasons, I will simply list the references where these parables are found.
Stories Explore a Range of Plausible Endings
A story can explore a range of plausible endings and expose the likely results of different choices. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus explores four different endings, depending on what sort of soil the seed fell into. In the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders, Jesus explores two different endings, depending on whether the house was built on sand or rock. Here are the parables Jesus told to explore plausible endings:
The Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9)
The Narrow and Wide Gates (Matthew 7:13-14)
The Sower (Matthew 13:3-23; Mark 4:2-20; Luke 8:4-15)
The Ten Minas (Luke 19:11-27)
The Two Debtors (Luke 7:41-43)
The Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-31)
The Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14; Luke 14:16-24)
The Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49)
In each of these parables, the main point seems to be to show how different choices lead to different ends.
Here is a story the rabbis told to explain why two enemies might unite:
It is like two dogs that were with a sheep herd and were continually quarreling. Then a wolf came to steal a lamb from the flock, and one of the dogs started to attack him. The other dog said to himself: If I don't go to his assistance now, then the wolf will kill him and later attack and kill me. So the two made peace and together attacked the wolf.1
Technically, this story is a fable (because the central figures are animals acting like people) that explores a range of possible outcomes. Continued quarreling might produce mutual destruction. Peace might produce success. Each ending is plausible, and the story helps expose the consequences of the different choices. Stories are an effective way to explore various plausible endings.
