Hank and
Stewart can look at the same tree and see it in two different ways. Stewart will see a tree. You can climb it. You can sit under its shade when there are
leaves. Hank will visualize what that
tree can become – what can be built with it.
Our theme
this month is on “becoming more Christ like”.
My first lesson was on parables, why Jesus taught in parables, and
perhaps the class could share some of their favorites and why.
Hank let out
a sigh. “I HATE parables!” he said.
“I just don’t understand them.”
Stewart said
he likes them. Not only are they
entertaining, but you can also learn something.
Why did
Jesus teach in parables? The Pharisees
had condemned him from teaching.
Threatening him with prisonment, I believe.
But this is
the answer he gave to his disciples: “Because it is given unto you to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven . . .” – Matt 13:11
Those that
were in tune to the Spirit found a message in these stories – while those that
were hard-hearted (such as the Pharisees) saw him as nothing more than a story
teller. At least he wasn’t trying to
profess religion, right.
It wasn’t
until I was giving this lesson that it occurred to me that those being taught
received the message that they needed to hear – and it may not have been the
same message as others may have heard.
They took home the message that was needed in their lives at that given
time.
Take “The Prodigal
Son” for instance. There may be one in
the audience who finds the story as one of repentance and may see the father in
the story as Our Father in Heaven who will always be excited to see us – no
matter what mistakes we have made.
Another may
see this as a story of forgiveness – that we love our children unconditionally
and accept their willingness to return to us.
I had always
looked at this story from his brother’s point of view: “Are you kidding me? I have worked my fingers to the bone while my
brother is out splurging his inheritance and now you are ready to give him a
fancy feast as though he has done nothing wrong? When was the last time you honored me at a
party?”
For me, this
has been a story about pride. I need to
change my heart and be as overjoyed as the Father that my brother or my sister
is returning. I should think of others
and not dwell on how I was treated unfairly.
Some people compare this scripture to the parable of the lost talent or the
parable of the lost sheep. I compare it
to the parable of the laborers in the vineyard who have sweat and labored all
day only to have the last shift waltz in at the last hour to get the same exact
wages as I do. It wasn’t until I had this lesson that I looked at the parable in a new
light.
Hank made
many great comments as he participated in class. One of them was that he believes that
sometimes we tarry, sometimes we labor – which we do. He also said that one of his most favorite
things about church was/is the diversity.
He didn’t actually use the word diversity, but he said he enjoyed
listening to others make comments and realize that there are different ways of
looking at the same tree.
Of course
the tree is just a metaphor. I didn’t
actually use the word “tree” anywhere in my lesson. I focused on parables from Matthew 25 and the
parable of “the Good Samaritan.” I also
pointed out that those who are in tune may find messages in other works of
literature such as Les Miserable in which M. Russell Ballard uses the account
of Jean Vel Jean found in this post or Dieter F. Uchtdorfs mention of Dr.
Seuss’s Grinch found in this post or my own mention of comparing the sneetches to the parable
of the sheep and the goats or this post comparing Brave's "will-o-the-wisp" to Liahona.
Actually
there is a lot we can find in what we watch. Allow me to use “Tinkerbell” as an
example. It doesn’t seem to matter which
version – overall she seems to have a good heart, but ends up allowing pride to
overshadow obedience to command. In the story of "Peter Pan" Tinkerbell jumps to conclusions and stops listening to what Pan or even Wendy is trying to tell her.
In the movie "Tinkerbell" she isn't happy with her assigned role as a tinker and (despite the advise or command of the head fairy) uses her free agency to explore the roles of each of the other fairies hoping to find a more exciting job than tinker. She ends up making things worse not only for herself but for all the fairies and all those that depend on the talents of the fairies.
And the most recent (at least that I know of) is abc's "Once Upon a Time" in which she meets Regina - the wicked and miserable queen. Tinkerbell believes that she can repair damage that was done and help Regina regain hope and lose the anger. The Blue Fairy tells Tinkerbell that Regina is too far gone and cannot be saved, but Tinkerbell insists she can. She disobeys the Blue Fairy and puts her own self at risk - which results in hardening her heart and entering the same darkness as Regina.
But Tinkerbell is always given the opportunity to repent. She may make the same mistakes again and again but eventually she is forgiven. Our Father's love will always forgive. We do make mistakes. We need to in order to grow. It's part of the plan. It's what makes us stronger - if we have the desire to change.
My next lesson will be from this talk. If we humble ourselves to be teachable, we will understand the message we need to understand at the time we need to understand it. The parable we think we know so well will all the sudden have new meaning. God does speak to us through scriptures, but He also works through other parts of the media if we will allow ourselves to be humble so that we may see.
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