Pebbles and the Importance of Illustrations

How would you explain the love of God? Or the grace of a savior? How would you describe life as a Christian to a believer vs. a non-believer?

I typically revert to storytelling. Why? Because of illustrations. That’s what I set out to do with my new book, Pebbles: 31 days of faith enriching parables.

The Bible is rich with principles, and for those who love Jesus, it provides a fulfilling course of action for everyone. Jesus, knowing that we could just barely fathom the depths of the Bible’s mysteries, taught people the truth through, you guessed it, parables.

What’s a parable? A story that illustrates a moral or spiritual lesson.

So, why did the Teacher of Teachers use such illustrations and why should we follow suit? Here are my top three reasons.

Illustrations are provocative

Stories have images and these images make us feel as well as think. As humans, we tend to connect with feelings. Instructions have a set of directions, but stories have a set of symbols. The creative nature stirs up something within us which then has a greater impact in the long run.

Illustrations last longer

Because illustrations provoke thoughts and feelings, they last longer in our brains. How many times do we remember stories over sermons? Illustrations capture our attention and establish a connection to the underlying message. That connection allows our minds to return to that story or lesson when we need it the most.

Illustrations are engaging

Sometimes, we have to work at something to understand it. Jesus knew that. If He simply spelled it out for us, we wouldn’t have to challenge ourselves or seek out anything. His parables have many layers and they offer new discoveries every time we read them. Exercising our critical thinking skills gives us a better appreciation of the meaning once we figure it out.

I’ve written Pebbles as a devotional of illustrations for fellow believers. The 31 modern parables will encourage, engage, and challenge your faith as you seek out the Biblical principles hidden within its pages.

Pebbles: 31 days of faith-enriching parables releases September 25^th, 2020 and it will be available on Amazon.

Which parable from Jesus is your favorite? Let me know!

Leah Jordan Meahl writes to encourage both the rooted and the wandering Christian to go deeper. She’s a born and bred Jesus-follower hailing from Greenville, South Carolina. She’s a lover of devotional writing as well as fiction. Her newest book Pebbles: 31 days of faith-enriching parables is set to release September 2020. Feel free to visit her blog here. And ‘like’ her on Facebook here.