我惊讶地看着……我的太太在书架上选了一本儿童故事书，读给我们的孙女儿听，而她听得那么留神及津津有味；我景仰地听着……我的兄弟述说他如何在一处学校没有课本、纸章，或铅笔的偏远地方，开始了一个儿童图书馆的故事。故事是有力量的，它们能改变生命，而且是令人难忘的。难怪耶稣当日教导时，也常常使用比喻。
有时，耶稣会选用旧约圣经中的故事，改变某些细节，然后以新的重点来传讲给听众听。举例说，在以西结书31章和但以理书4章，我们看到作者用一棵树来代表神的国，这棵树比其他的树长得更高大，它为世上所有的生物提供食物和居所。耶稣说：“天国好像一粒芥菜种，”开始时它很细小，但后来却长得又高又宽，像那棵树一样，它能为天上的飞鸟提供居所。这幅图画描绘出怎样把神的好消息传遍各地和为每一个人提供庇护，以致影响整个世界。
耶稣的比喻描绘神国的生活。我们为人父母、祖父母，和导师的，都可以向其他人 (不论老少)，讲述这些圣经故事，好叫他们也能渐渐“仰望神”(诗篇78:7)，我们也可以与人分享神在我们生命中的作为。想像一下，神甚至能藉着我们去传讲祂！
主啊，求祢引导我们与人分享天国的好消息，藉着讲述祢的信实的故事，帮助别人在祢里面成长。奉祢的名祷告，阿们。
马太福音 13:31-35
31他又设个比喻对他们说：“天国好像一粒芥菜种，有人拿去种在田里。
32这原是百种里最小的，等到长起来，却比各样的菜都大，且成了树，天上的飞鸟来宿在它的枝上。”
33他又对他们讲个比喻说：“天国好像面酵，有妇人拿来，藏在三斗面里，直等全团都发起来。”
34这都是耶稣用比喻对众人说的话；若不用比喻，就不对他们说什么。
35这是要应验先知的话，说： 我要开口用比喻， 把创世以来所隐藏的事发明出来。
I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. — Psalm 78:2-3
I watch in wonder as my wife picks a children’s book off the shelf and wows our granddaughters with its story. I listen with admiration to the adventures of my brother, who starts children’s libraries in remote places where schools do not have books, paper, or pencils. Stories are powerful, life-changing, and memorable. That’s why Jesus taught in parables.
Sometimes Jesus took stories from the Old Testament, changed a few details, and delivered them with a new thrust to his audience. For example, in Ezekiel 31 and Daniel 4 we find stories about kingdoms portrayed as a tree that grows larger than any other, providing food and shelter for all the earth’s creatures. Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed,” which starts out small but grows big and wide, providing shelter like a tree for the birds of the air. This is a picture of how God’s good news can spread everywhere and provide refuge for all, making a difference for the entire world.
Jesus’ parables present pictures about life in God’s kingdom. As parents, grandparents, and mentors, we can retell the Bible’s stories to others—young and old—so that they too may grow to “put their trust in God” (Psalm 78:7). We can also tell about God’s work in our own lives. Imagine—God can speak even through us!
Lord, guide us to share the good news of your Word through all kinds of stories of your faithfulness, to help others grow in you. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
