Let's start a Parable Corner

[whatevergirl]

Here’s one that a coworker sent to me this morning. I think it will be very cool to share these with one another, bolstering our faith through short stories and parables, especially in celebrating the coming of Christ. Would you consider adding some to this thread?
:tiphat:

---

One day, a man went to visit a church, He got there early, parked his car
and got out. Another car pulled up near the driver got out and said, " I
always park there! You took my place!" The visitor went inside for Sunday
School, found an empty seat and sat down. A young lady from the church
approached him and
stated, “That’s my seat! You took my place!” The visitor was somewhat
distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing. After Sunday School, the
visitor went into the
sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, " That’s
where I always sit! You took my place!" The visitor was even more troubled
by this treatment, but still He said nothing. Later as the congregation was
praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood up, and his
appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and
on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation
noticed him and called out, “What happened to you?” The visitor replied, as
his hat became a crown of t horns, and a tear fell from his eye, “I took your
place.” ***

 

[TOP]

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On the day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force the body through that little hole.

The moth seemed to be stuck and appeared to have stopped making progress. It seemed as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. The man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth; so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily. But its body was swollen and small, its wings wrinkled and shriveled.

The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to and able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a small, swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

The man in his kindness and haste did not understand that the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was necessary to force fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight upon achieving its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets, and don’t forget the power in the struggle.

— Author Unknown

 

[Belle10]

I don’t know if this would be classified as a parable, but I liked it. A Christian (though not Catholic) friend of mine shared this with me today. It’s a devotional she got via email, and is written by Lisa Robertson, who writes for Crosswalk.com’s Encouragement For Today series. (I’m not familiar with the series or author, but again, I liked the message, especially considering I’m assuming the woman who wrote it is not Catholic).

Burning Bright

“You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.” Luke 1:45 (NLT)

Each year our dining room table is decorated with a beautiful wooden nativity scene. With love and pride we place the figures down the center of the table. Shepherds, camels, sheep and even a duck accompany kings, a donkey and the holy family.

A few years ago we were preparing to have our Christmas dinner. I was exhausted, but satisfied that we were about to enjoy a memorable celebration. Water was in the glasses, the candles were lit and dinner was ready. But as I brought the food to the table, shrieks came from the dining room: “The table is on fire!” And it was.

I didn’t want to ruin the lovely decorated table, so I tried to put the fire out by smothering it with a napkin, only to fan the flames. My son picked up a glass of ice water and threw in on the fire, the nativity set, and the food.

Eventually, we ate our lovely Christmas dinner, but the food was cold and the Mary statue was singed. Five years later, she still smells a little like smoke.

Today’s key verse reminds me of my small, charred Mary, and the remarkable way God set her life ablaze when she was just a teenager. It had been an ordinary day. Mary had chores to do, meals to prepare and a life to live. When the sun rose that morning, she had no indication that this was a day that would change her life, and all of history.

God had an extraordinary day planned for Mary and He sent the angel Gabriel to tell her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for God has decided to bless you. You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be great and called the Son of the Most High…and His kingdom will never end.”

I wonder what Mary’s initial thoughts were when the angel told her God had decided to bless her. If an angel came to you with a message like that, what would you expect? Health, happiness, wealth, perfect relationships? Mary might have imagined some of those same blessings.

But God’s magnificent plan was to bring His Son into the world through this teenage girl. In her wildest dreams, I’m sure that this was not the blessing Mary was expecting.

Shock, confusion and fear may have been some of her initial feelings, but Mary was quick to embrace God’s plan for her. She responded to the angels news by saying, “I am the Lord’s servant, may everything you have said to me come true” (Luke 1:38).

Mary saw herself as the Lord’s servant, willing to do whatever He asked. She wasn’t as concerned about what her parents might think, or even her friends. Mary’s confidence was in her knowledge of God and His perfect love for her.

Like Mary, God has wonderful plans for each of us. His plans can be slowly revealed to us as we follow Him, or they can jump into our lives in an instant. God’s plans for Mary were shocking, inconvenient and beyond all that she could ask or imagine. His plans for you could evoke some of these same emotions.

God planted His plans in Mary’s life. Over time, His plans developed and matured. During the following months she probably got used to them. I wonder how many times she thought about the angel’s parting words, “For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37, NLT).

When I hold my flame-scarred Mary, I reflect on those same words that I’ve written underneath her base. Mary was willing, trusting and adventurous in her walk with God. She wanted all that He had for her and risked her reputation and future because she trusted God. I want to be more like Mary.

Dear Lord, we ask that you would help us be more like Mary in the way that she boldly received and followed Your plan. In whatever we are facing, help us to embrace the power of Your truth that “nothing is impossible with God.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

[whatevergirl]

I don’t know if this would be classified as a parable, but I liked it. A Christian (though not Catholic) friend of mine shared this with me today. It’s a devotional she got via email, and is written by Lisa Robertson, who writes for Crosswalk.com’s Encouragement For Today series. (I’m not familiar with the series or author, but again, I liked the message, especially considering I’m assuming the woman who wrote it is not Catholic).

Burning Bright

“You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.” Luke 1:45 (NLT)

Each year our dining room table is decorated with a beautiful wooden nativity scene. With love and pride we place the figures down the center of the table. Shepherds, camels, sheep and even a duck accompany kings, a donkey and the holy family.

A few years ago we were preparing to have our Christmas dinner. I was exhausted, but satisfied that we were about to enjoy a memorable celebration. Water was in the glasses, the candles were lit and dinner was ready. But as I brought the food to the table, shrieks came from the dining room: “The table is on fire!” And it was.

I didn’t want to ruin the lovely decorated table, so I tried to put the fire out by smothering it with a napkin, only to fan the flames. My son picked up a glass of ice water and threw in on the fire, the nativity set, and the food.

Eventually, we ate our lovely Christmas dinner, but the food was cold and the Mary statue was singed. Five years later, she still smells a little like smoke.

Today’s key verse reminds me of my small, charred Mary, and the remarkable way God set her life ablaze when she was just a teenager. It had been an ordinary day. Mary had chores to do, meals to prepare and a life to live. When the sun rose that morning, she had no indication that this was a day that would change her life, and all of history.

God had an extraordinary day planned for Mary and He sent the angel Gabriel to tell her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for God has decided to bless you. You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be great and called the Son of the Most High…and His kingdom will never end.”

I wonder what Mary’s initial thoughts were when the angel told her God had decided to bless her. If an angel came to you with a message like that, what would you expect? Health, happiness, wealth, perfect relationships? Mary might have imagined some of those same blessings.

But God’s magnificent plan was to bring His Son into the world through this teenage girl. In her wildest dreams, I’m sure that this was not the blessing Mary was expecting.

Shock, confusion and fear may have been some of her initial feelings, but Mary was quick to embrace God’s plan for her. She responded to the angels news by saying, “I am the Lord’s servant, may everything you have said to me come true” (Luke 1:38).

Mary saw herself as the Lord’s servant, willing to do whatever He asked. She wasn’t as concerned about what her parents might think, or even her friends. Mary’s confidence was in her knowledge of God and His perfect love for her.

Like Mary, God has wonderful plans for each of us. His plans can be slowly revealed to us as we follow Him, or they can jump into our lives in an instant. God’s plans for Mary were shocking, inconvenient and beyond all that she could ask or imagine. His plans for you could evoke some of these same emotions.

God planted His plans in Mary’s life. Over time, His plans developed and matured. During the following months she probably got used to them. I wonder how many times she thought about the angel’s parting words, “For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37, NLT).

When I hold my flame-scarred Mary, I reflect on those same words that I’ve written underneath her base. Mary was willing, trusting and adventurous in her walk with God. She wanted all that He had for her and risked her reputation and future because she trusted God. I want to be more like Mary.

Dear Lord, we ask that you would help us be more like Mary in the way that she boldly received and followed Your plan. In whatever we are facing, help us to embrace the power of Your truth that “nothing is impossible with God.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I love this!!! Thank you for sharing! This will look lovely posted on my frig…so all can see and read.

 

[whatevergirl]

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On the day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force the body through that little hole.

The moth seemed to be stuck and appeared to have stopped making progress. It seemed as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. The man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth; so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily. But its body was swollen and small, its wings wrinkled and shriveled.

The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to and able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a small, swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

The man in his kindness and haste did not understand that the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was necessary to force fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight upon achieving its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets, and don’t forget the power in the struggle.

— Author Unknown

I really like this one as well…I would never have thought of it like this. It’s funny, but my son is struggling with the whys of going to school…too much homework…bla bla…how ‘easier’ life would be if we didn’t have homework. But, this is something good for him to read, perhaps. Thank you for posting.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Really inspirational stories:thumbsup:

 

[Belle10]

Once again, a friend shared this daily devotional she received via email. I’m a big Max Lucado fan, so I wanted to pass along this message – it’s one I needed to be reminded of.

An excerpt of Max Lucado’s 1999 book, “In The Eye Of The Storm.”

The Journey
by Max Lucado

I drove the family to Grandma’s last night for Thanksgiving. Three hours into the six-hour trip, I realized that I was in a theology lab.

A day with a car full of kids will teach you a lot about God. Transporting a family from one city to another is closely akin to God transporting us from our home to his.

A journey is a journey, whether the destination be the Thanksgiving table or the heavenly one. Both demand patience, a good sense of direction, and a driver who knows that the feast at the end of the trip is worth the hassles in the midst of the trip.

For me, six hours on the road is a small price to pay for my mom’s strawberry cake. I don’t mind the drive because I know the reward. I have three decades of Thanksgivings under my belt, literally. As I drive, I can taste the turkey. Hear the dinner-table laughter. Smell the smoke from the fireplace.

I can endure the journey because I know the destiny.

For some of you, the journey has been long. Very long and stormy. In no way do I wish to minimize the difficulties that you have had to face along the way. Some of you have shouldered burdens that few of us could ever carry. You have bid farewell to life-long partners. You have been robbed of life-long dreams. You have been given bodies that ca’'t sustain your spirit. You have spouses who can’t tolerate your faith. You have bills that outnumber the paychecks and challenges that outweigh the strength.

And you are tired.

Let me encourage you with a parallel between your life’s journey and the one our family took last night.

It’s worth it.

As I write, the Thanksgiving meal is over. My legs are propped up on the hearth. My tablet is on my lap.

I have every intention of dozing off as soon as I finish this chapter.

The turkey has been attacked. The giblet gravy has been gobbled. The table is clear. The kids are napping. And the family is content.

As we sat around the table today, no one spoke of the long trip to get here. No one mentioned the requests I didn’t honor. No one grumbled about my foot being on the accelerator when their hearts were focused on the banana splits. No one complained about the late hour of arrival.

Yesterday’s challenges were lost in today’s joy.

God never said that the journey would be easy, but he did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.

Remember this: God may not do what you want, but he will do what is right… and best. He’s the Father of forward motion. Trust him. He will get you home. And the trials of the trip will be lost in the joys of the feast.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll close my eyes. I’m a bit tired from the journey, and it feels good to rest.

 

[whatevergirl]

Once again, a friend shared this daily devotional she received via email. I’m a big Max Lucado fan, so I wanted to pass along this message – it’s one I needed to be reminded of.

An excerpt of Max Lucado’s 1999 book, “In The Eye Of The Storm.”

The Journey
by Max Lucado

I drove the family to Grandma’s last night for Thanksgiving. Three hours into the six-hour trip, I realized that I was in a theology lab.

A day with a car full of kids will teach you a lot about God. Transporting a family from one city to another is closely akin to God transporting us from our home to his.

A journey is a journey, whether the destination be the Thanksgiving table or the heavenly one. Both demand patience, a good sense of direction, and a driver who knows that the feast at the end of the trip is worth the hassles in the midst of the trip.

For me, six hours on the road is a small price to pay for my mom’s strawberry cake. I don’t mind the drive because I know the reward. I have three decades of Thanksgivings under my belt, literally. As I drive, I can taste the turkey. Hear the dinner-table laughter. Smell the smoke from the fireplace.

I can endure the journey because I know the destiny.

For some of you, the journey has been long. Very long and stormy. In no way do I wish to minimize the difficulties that you have had to face along the way. Some of you have shouldered burdens that few of us could ever carry. You have bid farewell to life-long partners. You have been robbed of life-long dreams. You have been given bodies that ca’'t sustain your spirit. You have spouses who can’t tolerate your faith. You have bills that outnumber the paychecks and challenges that outweigh the strength.

And you are tired.

Let me encourage you with a parallel between your life’s journey and the one our family took last night.

It’s worth it.

As I write, the Thanksgiving meal is over. My legs are propped up on the hearth. My tablet is on my lap.

I have every intention of dozing off as soon as I finish this chapter.

The turkey has been attacked. The giblet gravy has been gobbled. The table is clear. The kids are napping. And the family is content.

As we sat around the table today, no one spoke of the long trip to get here. No one mentioned the requests I didn’t honor. No one grumbled about my foot being on the accelerator when their hearts were focused on the banana splits. No one complained about the late hour of arrival.

Yesterday’s challenges were lost in today’s joy.

God never said that the journey would be easy, but he did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.

Remember this: God may not do what you want, but he will do what is right… and best. He’s the Father of forward motion. Trust him. He will get you home. And the trials of the trip will be lost in the joys of the feast.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll close my eyes. I’m a bit tired from the journey, and it feels good to rest.

Belle–I really like this one!:yup: :heaven: I like Max Lucado as well…haev you ever read the devotional that goes around a lot of emails frequently…about people stopping in the midst of their everyday activities, and then, hearing a trumpet sound…they don’t know what it is…but suddenly everyone is looking up…cars are stopped all over the highway, etc…and they see Jesus coming in on a cloud…something like this. I need to search for that, because I get chills everytime I read it! It is a breathtaking modern story about the second coming of Christ.

 

[Belle10]

Belle–I really like this one!:yup: :heaven: I like Max Lucado as well…haev you ever read the devotional that goes around a lot of emails frequently…about people stopping in the midst of their everyday activities, and then, hearing a trumpet sound…they don’t know what it is…but suddenly everyone is looking up…cars are stopped all over the highway, etc…and they see Jesus coming in on a cloud…something like this. I need to search for that, because I get chills everytime I read it! It is a breathtaking modern story about the second coming of Christ.

No, I’ve never read that one (I don’t think!) but it sounds great. I hope we’ll be able to see the second coming in our lifetime! :extrahappy: I guess every generation has thought theirs would see Jesus return though, so whether I see Him return here or in Heaven, as long as I see Him I’ll be happy!

I have read several of Max Lucado’s books, and I find them to be incredibly inspirational. He certainly has a gift for writing – he takes God’s words from scripture and can relate them to everyday scenarios that are very touching.

 

[whatevergirl]

No, I’ve never read that one (I don’t think!) but it sounds great. I hope we’ll be able to see the second coming in our lifetime! :extrahappy: I guess every generation has thought theirs would see Jesus return though, so whether I see Him return here or in Heaven, as long as I see Him I’ll be happy!

I have read several of Max Lucado’s books, and I find them to be incredibly inspirational. He certainly has a gift for writing – he takes God’s words from scripture and can relate them to everyday scenarios that are very touching.

I would highly recommend you read…‘God on a Harley.’ Sounds a little crazy, but it is the perfect little book. Took only two nights for me to read it…if that…but wow. What a great little story. I won’t tell you anything about it–because it might spoil it, but I would try to find a copy…it’s great. If you like Max, you’ll like this one…can’t recall who wrote it though.

 

[whatevergirl]

Belle! I found it in my email archives…here it is: (sorry it’s all jumbled…I just copied and pasted)

From Max Lucado…

***You are in your car driving home. Thoughts

wander to the game you want

to see or meal you want to eat, when suddenly a
sound unlike any you’ve
ever heard fills the air. The sound is high above
you. A trumpet? A choir?
A choir of trumpets? You don’t know, but you want
to know.
So you pull over, get out of your car, and look
up. As you do, you see
you aren’t the only curious one. The roadside has
become a parking lot. Car
doors are open, and people are staring at the sky.
Shoppers are racing out
of the grocery store. The Little League baseball
game across the street has
come to a halt. Players and parents are searching
the clouds. And what they
see, and what you see, has never before b een seen.

As if the sky were a curtain, the drapes of the
atmosphere part. A
brilliant light spills onto the earth. There are no
shadows. None. From
whence came the light begins to tumble a river of
color spiking crystals of
every hue ever seen and a million more never seen.
Riding on the flow is an
endless fleet of angels. They pass through the
curtains one myriad at a
time, until they occupy every square inch of the
sky.

North.
South.
East.
West.
Thousands of silvery wings rise and fall in
unison, and over the sound
of the trumpets, you can hear the cherubim and
seraphim chanting, Holy,
holy, holy. The final flank of angels is followed
by twenty-f our
silver-bearded elders and a multitude of souls who
join the angels in
worship.

Presently the movement stops and the trumpets
are silent, leaving only
the triumphant triplet: Holy, holy, holy. Between
each word is a pause.With
each word, a profound reverence. You hear your
voice join in the chorus.
You don’t know why you say the words, but you know
you must. Suddenly, the
heavens are quiet. All is quiet. The angel’s turn,
you turn, the entire
world turns and there He is. Jesus.

Through waves of light you see the silhouetted
figure of Christ the
King. He is atop a great stallion, and the stallion
is atop a billowing
cloud. He opens his mouth, and you are surrounded
by his declaration: I am
the Al pha and the Omega.

The angels bow their heads. The elders remove
their crowns. And before
you is a Figure so consuming that you know,
instantly you know: Nothing
else matters.
Forget stock markets and school reports. Sales
meetings and football
games. Nothing is newsworthy.
All that mattered, matters no more… for
Christ has come.***

 

[Belle10]

As if the sky were a curtain, the drapes of the
atmosphere part. A brilliant light spills onto the earth. There are no shadows. None. From
whence came the light begins to tumble a river of
color spiking crystals of
every hue ever seen and a million more never seen.

That was great!! :clapping: :extrahappy: That day will be so wonderful!! Thanks for sharing, and I’ll see if I can find “God on a Harley.”

 

[whatevergirl]

That was great!! :clapping: :extrahappy: That day will be so wonderful!! Thanks for sharing, and I’ll see if I can find “God on a Harley.”

I knew you’d like it. Out of all the many devotionals I receive…this is my favorite one. Really vivid depiction…and sounds accurate. I just hope I’m not left behind. I pray I won’t be…this is why we need to live each day as if it were the Last!

 

[MSParrott]

I wanted to share one I received today.

A little boy was visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target.

Getting a little discouraged, he headed back home for dinner. As he was walking back when he saw Grandma’s pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved! In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch the next day Grandma said, “Sally, let’s wash the dishes.”

But Sally said, “Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.”

Then she whispered to him, “Remember the duck?”

So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, and Grandma said, “I’m sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.”

Sally just smiled and said, “Well that’s all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help.”

She whispered again, “Remember the duck?”

So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally’s, he finally couldn’t stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.

Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, “Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.”

Thought for the day and every day hereafter . . .

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done - and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face . . . (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.) - Confess! Whatever it is, you need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He’s just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you. The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives you, but He forgets.

It is by God’s grace and mercy that we are saved. Go ahead and make the difference in someone’s life today. Share this with a friend, and always remember: God is at the window!

When Jesus died on the cross; he was thinking of you!