Modern beliefs have created a different definition of faith. For the longest time, people who claimed to be faithful had their faith challenged. For others, faith and reading the Bible is not yet a part of themselves as people. However, faith plays an important role in our lives, and it can be life-changing to regularly read the Bible.
With that in mind, we must know how faith can change our life, how faith is an important aspect of moving forward, and how faith can define a family.
Let us look at how the use of parables can reveal faith, not just in the Bible but in ourselves.
Strength from Unity
One of our favorite parables in the Bible tells of the strong man who can be found in the gospel of Mark 3:23–27. It goes:
“Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, ‘How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.’”
For you and your family, you should use this parable to tell the story of strength and how a united family can help build the defence that you need against external forces.
In one story that we like to share, a woman read the Bible and considered herself a strong person. She believed that as long as she makes herself whole through the lessons from the Bible, she cannot go astray. This manifestation and belief in what the Bible has taught her is the reason why she was strong. This can be you as well.
Reading the Bible is life-changing not because it says that it is or because we say that it is. The Bible is life-changing because of how the words can impact your life if you let it be a part of your daily practice to read it.
The word in the parable of the sower is a prime example of this.
We Sow God’s Word
Another parable that talks about the Kingdom of God and our faith in the Bible are the parable of the sower. It can be found in Mark 4: 3–8, which provides the following:
“‘Hear this! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Another seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. And some seeds fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.’ He added, ‘Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.’”
When the seed falls on rich soil it produces fruit. The same is true with the word of God. When it falls into a rich mind and heart with the acceptance and openness that it needs, it will flourish. However, when it falls on a mind that is not willing to accept the information, it will die off.
This is a great parable that underscores the beauty of a heart that is open and prepared to believe. The Bible uses the things of nature to show how the seed of God’s word combined with a believing heart can a person prosper and be fruitful and productive.
Lost Sheep May Still Be Found
Keep in mind that even if you have been lost in this life, you may still be found. This is what the parable of the lost sheep shares with us in Matthew 18:11–14:
“For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
If you have faith in the Bible and you have a family member or you know someone who was may be lost, you can share this parable with them. You can tell them about how God forgives and accepts even his children who went astray. This can help you help your family members and friends build faith in the Bible.
What if you have children?
If you have children and you want to share the Bible with them, you need to make sure that you use child-friendly publications that focus on the Bible. Creation Illustrated, a nature and faith-building publication, covers the teachings of the Bible in an inviting way through God’s Creation. Each edition contains more than 70 Scriptures presented in an easy-to-read fashion.
You can also use this publication that provides simple explanations, stunning photography, and character-building parables. You can apply the teachings to your own life as well. Some of the stories have been created especially for children.
The Bible is your friend
There are a lot of reasons why families should consider using the Bible as a guide. With the teachings Christ used in the parables He shared, we can see that this is a very effective way to learn and remember vital life lessons and principles. This is the way that the Bible becomes your friend, and you will have life-changing experiences like no other.
