How Do You Explain It?

              If you have ever tried to explain something complex to someone who has no idea of the words that you would use to explain something, how would you explain it? The easiest way is to take something that they can understand and use that to explain the complex thing. This is something that we see quite a bit in the Bible, especially in the New Testament. There are a few words that we may use to describe these things such as parables, allegories, or illustrations. When we use these, the goal is to explain something difficult to understand and make it simple. A Christian needs to be able to do this to explain some of the things that people would call weird to people who may not understand the things that we would teach and do.

              There are plenty of examples of these things being used in the Bible such as how Jesus would commonly teach using parables especially agricultural things that the people of his time would understand very well. Matthew 25:1-13 would serve as a great example of how Jesus would use something common to explain something that would have been harder for people to understand. In this parable, Jesus tells the people about five virgins that were prepared for the coming of the bridegroom and five that were not. The people may have had a harder time understanding what Jesus was telling them about had he not used something common for them such as someone showing up unexpectedly.

              Another example that we can see can be found in Ephesians 6:10-20. Here Paul uses armor that the people would have commonly seen on a soldier to explain how we should prepare ourselves for the challenges that we will face in the world. We understand that we are not expected to put on armor every day, but we should prepare every day for the thing that we will face from our enemy the devil. Paul uses this armor also to describe all the things that he had taught the people in Ephesus so that they would remember the things that he taught easier. 

              The same thing can be done when we explain things to people who do not understand why we would do certain things as Christians. An example that is typically used would be about the authority that God gives to people and what silence means. When it has been explained to me in the past I was told that if my mother gave me $5 to go to the store and buy some milk and I came back with milk and a chocolate bar, I did not obey my mother. We understand that because the money that I was given was only to buy milk and not to buy a chocolate bar. If I had been permitted to buy a chocolate bar, then it would have been fine. But I was not. This illustration helps us understand something that may have been difficult for us to understand before.

              Another great thing about using illustrations is that they tend to stick with us for a longer time. Our brains do better at remembering stories and lessons that are taught in stories. This would be why children are taught using fables, parables, and other lessons through stories. Children are taught about patience through the story of the “Tortoise and the Hare,” they are taught honesty from the story “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” and they are taught about reliance on God through the story “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man.” If this is how we explain things to children, why then would we not use this to explain difficult subjects in the Bible to adults?

              We use illustrations all the time, and we need to use them to help people see why we trust in God the way that we do and why we obey the way that we do. Illustrations and parables are a great way to show people the things that God has in store for them and what God would have them do with their lives.