Why did Jesus tell so many stories? Let’s begin to find the answer by experiencing a parable ourselves:
“There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 2 Sam. 12:1–4, ESV.
Now, some questions for you: Will you remember this simple story tomorrow? Easy, right? Can you think of anyone who has a pet as dear to them as the little lamb? How would the poor man have felt? We can relate, can’t we? How do you feel about the rich man? It was cruel, unfeeling, selfish behavior, wasn’t it?
Here’s what this story did in the Bible. The listener burst out, “The man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”
The storyteller was the prophet Nathan, and the listener was King David. The prophet looked the king in the eye and said quietly, “You are the man!” 2 Sam. 12:5–7, ESV.
King David wasn’t guilty of lamb-stealing, but of wife-stealing, leading to adultery and murder. In his gut reaction to the story, he passed judgment on himself and became deeply convicted of his wrongdoing. It wouldn’t have worked for Nathan to confront the king directly, but a story reached his heart.
Jesus was a master storyteller. Scholars used to think that when Jesus used parables, He was following a traditional rabbinical practice. But research has shown that most rabbinical parables date from the centuries after Jesus.1 Jesus was a pioneer of teaching largely through stories. He knew how to reach human hearts!
Modern research reveals the genius of parables. The human brain responds to well-told stories with the hormone cortisol (which triggers arousal) and the neurotransmitters oxytocin (which promotes empathy) and dopamine (which makes us feel good).2 This is one reason why people flocked to hear Jesus. People binge-watch Netflix for the same reason today. We all love a good story!
Jesus’ audiences included people from many social backgrounds and levels of education. His mission was to reach them all with truths about the kingdom of God, what God is like, the problem of sin, and how God was tackling it. Most people cherished completely wrong ideas about these things. Yet everyone listened attentively—even His enemies.
Jesus’ stories were easy to remember and retell to others. The sights and occupations of everyday life constantly reminded people of His parables and kept them thinking about their meaning. Stories were the perfect teaching medium for mixed audiences, and they offered Jesus’ enemies no ammunition for accusing Him to the authorities!
But what about their spiritual meaning? We can look for meaning at two levels. The first answers the question: What spiritual truths does this parable teach about life in general? The second gets more personal: How does the parable’s message apply to me?
The pardon granted by this king represents a divine blood-bought forgiveness for every soul.
When the forgiven servant treated his debtor with harshness, he revealed he had no true sense of the greatness of his own debt.
It’s especially interesting to compare parables for insight on a given topic, such as what God is like. There are several parables that clearly teach us about God’s love. The father of the prodigal son gives us a beautiful picture of a parent who allows one of his sons to live a wild, self-indulgent life, wasting his father’s resources. He does it in hopes that one day his son will appreciate his love and voluntarily return to him. The father’s great joy and forgiveness when the repentant son finally comes home in rags is very moving.
The shepherd who goes in search of one wayward sheep, leaving 99 others, shows us that God doesn’t just love passively. The shepherd leaves shelter and safety to find his sheep, and he searches through the night until he finds it. He doesn’t blame the sheep for its stupidity; he’s just thrilled to have it back. It’s encouraging to apply these parables to ourselves.
But there are other pictures of God that might bother us as we look at them from our 21st-century perspective. For instance, to us, the king in the wedding garment parable may seem very demanding and harsh. If any wedding guests weren’t wearing the special robe he gave them, they were thrown into “outer darkness.” Wasn’t that overkill for showing up in the wrong clothes? Why was he inspecting the guests? Maybe we’d rather ignore that parable and focus on “pleasanter” ones. Yet it’s the same God who welcomes the lost son in his rags. How can we reconcile these two pictures of God?
The best way to solve our problem is to look at other parables and the overall theme of the Bible―salvation from sin. The king in the parable of the two debtors expected to see compassion in his servant because of the enormous undeserved kindness he’d received. The Bible shows us that God’s great forgiveness makes a change in people who take it to heart.3 The transformation is part of His gift of forgiveness. If it’s not there, the receiver has not seen and hated their great offense.
The parable of the vine, told by Christ right before His death for our sins, reveals a vital spiritual truth. God’s plan to combat sin is not to provide just a legal forgiveness so people go on living for themselves while avoiding sin’s consequences. His loving provision goes much deeper.
God’s plan is to separate human beings from sin and the unhappiness and evil it brings by gifting them with a new kind of life―a living connection with Jesus. Through it, they can continually receive His unselfish love which transforms their character to reflect Jesus’ character. God provides a new nature and power to overcome temptation, all symbolized by the gift of the wedding garment.
The wedding feast is a judgment parable. Jesus told it to urgently alert us to spiritual realities. In God’s judgment, if a life is found to be without this changed character, it will show the person has ignored or refused God’s life-giving gifts—His rescue from sin. When evil is finally eradicated, he or she will be destroyed along with their cherished sins. Of course, people who have never heard of Jesus will be judged justly, too.4
So considered together, several parables show us much more about God’s rescuing, forgiving love than any individual parable can. Now we can ask again, “How does this apply to me?”
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.
“The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
The pardon granted by this king represents a divine blood-bought forgiveness for every soul.
“So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” Matt. 18:21–35.
In this parable, Jesus shows the true ground upon which forgiveness is to be granted and the danger of cherishing an unforgiving spirit.
The pardon granted by this king represents a divine forgiveness of all sin. Christ is represented by the king, who, moved with compassion, forgave the debt of his servant. Humanity was under the condemnation of the broken law. We could not save ourselves, and for this reason Christ came to this world and gave His life, the just for the unjust. To every soul He freely offers the blood-bought pardon.
Here is the ground upon which we should exercise compassion toward our fellow sinners. “If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:11. “Freely you have received,” Christ says, “freely give.” Matt. 10:8.
In the parable, when the king’s debtor pleaded for delay, the whole debt was canceled. He was soon given an opportunity to follow the example of the master who had forgiven him. Going out, he met a fellow servant who owed him a small sum. He had been forgiven 10 thousand talents (60 million days’ wages); the debtor owed him a hundred denarii (100 days’ wages).
But he who had been so mercifully treated dealt with his fellow laborer in an altogether different manner. His debtor made an appeal similar to that which he himself had made to the king. The mercy showed him he did not exercise in dealing with his fellow servant. He heeded not the request to be patient. The small sum owed to him was all that the ungrateful servant would keep in mind. He demanded all that he thought his due and carried into effect a sentence similar to that which had been so graciously revoked for him.
How many are today manifesting the same spirit. When the debtor pleaded with his lord for mercy, he had no true sense of the greatness of his debt. He did not realize his helplessness. “Have patience with me,” he said, “and I will pay you all.” So there are many who hope by their own works to merit God’s favor. They do not accept the grace of God as a free gift but are trying to build themselves up in self-righteousness.
Their own hearts are not broken and humbled on account of sin, and they are exacting and unforgiving toward others. Their own sins against God, compared with their brother’s sins against them, are as 10 thousand talents to one hundred denarii, yet they dare to be unforgiving.
But the teaching of this parable should not be misapplied. God’s forgiveness toward us does not lessen our duty to obey Him. So the spirit of forgiveness toward our fellow men does not lessen the claim of reasonable obligation. The parable does not teach us to encourage laziness.
The Savior has plainly told us how to deal with the erring. He has commanded us not to suffer wrong in our brother. He says, “If your brother sins against you, rebuke him.” Sin is to be called by its right name and is to be plainly laid out before the wrongdoer. “And if he repents, forgive him.” Luke 17:3. Do not hold him off as unworthy of your confidence.
When the forgiven servant treated his debtor with harshness, he revealed he had no true sense of the greatness of his own debt.
The Lord does not require the hardworking man to support others in idleness. With many there is a waste of time, a lack of effort, which brings poverty and want. Yet there is an unavoidable poverty, and we are to manifest tenderness and compassion toward those who are unfortunate. We should treat others just as we ourselves, in like circumstances, would wish to be treated.
We ourselves owe everything to God’s free grace. Grace in the covenant ordained our adoption. Grace in the Savior effected our redemption, our regeneration, and our exaltation to heirship with Christ. Let this grace be revealed to others. Let it be your effort to lift up Jesus. Let the mind’s eye be directed to “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29.
Nothing can justify an unforgiving spirit. He who is unmerciful toward others shows that he himself is not a partaker of God’s pardoning grace. In God’s forgiveness the heart of the erring one is drawn close to the great heart of infinite Love. The tenderness and mercy that Christ has revealed in His own precious life will be seen in those who become sharers of His grace. But “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” Rom. 8:9.
All verses quoted are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matt. 13:45–46.
The Savior compared the blessings of redeeming love to a precious pearl. He illustrated His lesson by the parable of the merchant seeking beautiful pearls. Christ Himself is the pearl of great price. All that can satisfy the needs and longings of the human soul, for this world and for the world to come, is found in Christ. Our Redeemer is the pearl so precious that in comparison all other things may be accounted loss. No work of humanity can improve the great and precious gift of God.
Christ “came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” John 1:11. The light of God shone into the darkness of the world, and “the darkness did not comprehend it.” V. 5. But not all were found indifferent to the gift of Heaven. The merchant in the parable represents the people who are sincerely desiring truth.
In the parable, the pearl is not represented as a gift. The merchant bought it at the price of all that he had. Many people question the meaning of this since Christ is represented in the Scriptures as a gift. He is a gift, but only to those who give themselves to Him without reserve.
We are to give ourselves to Christ, to live a life of willing obedience to all His requirements. All that we are, all the talents and capabilities we possess, are the Lord’s, to be consecrated to His service. When we thus give ourselves wholly to Him, Christ, with all the treasures of heaven, gives Himself to us. We obtain the pearl of great price.
The gospel of Christ is a blessing that all may possess. The poorest are as well able as the richest to “purchase” salvation; for no amount of worldly wealth can secure it. We are to seek for it with as much interest and perseverance as though we would abandon everything in the world for it.
The parable of the merchant seeking beautiful pearls has a double significance. It applies not only to human beings seeking the kingdom of heaven, but to Christ seeking His lost inheritance—us.
Christ, the heavenly merchant seeking precious pearls, saw in lost humanity the pearl of price. In humanity, defiled and ruined by sin, He saw the possibilities of redemption. Hearts that have been the battleground of the conflict with Satan, and that have been rescued by the power of love, are precious to the Redeemer.
God looked upon humanity, not as vile and worthless; He looked upon us in Christ and saw us as we might become through redeeming love. He collected all the riches of the universe and laid them down in order to buy the pearl.
Christ bore humiliation, suffering, and death that we might not perish but have everlasting life. And having found His pearl, Jesus resets it in His own diadem. “For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, lifted like a banner over His land.” Zech. 9:16. “‘They shall be Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘on the day that I make them My jewels.’” Mal. 3:17.
All verses quoted are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.
Adapted from Christ’s Object Lessons, “The Pearl.”
“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding.... But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness.’” Matt. 22:2–3, 11–13.
Every guest at the marriage feast had been provided with a special wedding garment. This garment was a gift from the king. By wearing it, the guests showed their respect for the giver of the feast.
The wedding garment in the parable represents the pure, spotless character which Christ’s true followers will possess. It is the righteousness of Christ, His own unblemished character, that through faith is imparted to all who receive Him as their personal Savior.
Christ offers His perfect character in exchange for the filthy garments of our own characters.
Only the covering which Christ Himself has provided can make us fit to appear in God’s presence. This covering, the robe of His own righteousness, Christ will put upon every repenting, believing soul. “I counsel you,” He says, “to buy from Me...white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed.” Rev. 3:18.
This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out a perfect character, and this character He offers to impart to us. “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isa. 64:6, KJV. Everything that we of ourselves can do is defiled by sin. But the Son of God “was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin.” 1 John 3:5, KJV.
Sin is defined to be “the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4, KJV. But Christ was obedient to every requirement of the law. He said of Himself, “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.” Ps. 40:8. When on Earth, He said to His disciples, “I have kept My Father’s commandments.” John 15:10.
By His perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human being to obey God’s commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness.
The life of Christ that gives life to the world is in His word. It was by His word that Jesus healed disease and cast out demons; by His word He stilled the sea and raised the dead; and the people bore witness that His word was with power. He spoke the word of God, as He had spoken through all the prophets and teachers of the Old Testament.
The whole Bible is a manifestation of Christ, and the Savior desired to fix the faith of His followers on the Word. Like their Master, they were to live “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matt. 4:4.
As our physical life is sustained by food, so our spiritual life is sustained by the Word of God. And every soul is to receive life from God’s Word for himself. As we must eat for ourselves in order to receive nourishment, so we must receive the Word for ourselves. We are not to obtain it merely through the medium of another’s mind. We should carefully study the Bible, asking God for the aid of the Holy Spirit so that we may understand His Word.
When we submit ourselves to Christ, we live His life. This is how we are clothed with the garment of His righteousness.
By looking constantly to Jesus with the eye of faith, we shall be strengthened. God will make the most precious revelations to His hungering, thirsting people. They will find that Christ is a personal Savior. As they feed upon His Word, they find that it is spirit and life.
In His promises and warnings, Jesus means me. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,” that I, by believing in Him, might not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16. The experiences related in God’s Word are to be my experiences. Prayer and promise, precept and warning, are mine. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Gal. 2:20.
As faith thus receives and assimilates the principles of truth, they become a part of the being and the motive power of the life. The Word of God, received into the soul, molds the thoughts and enters into the development of character.
The truth is to be planted in the heart. It is to control the mind and regulate the affections. The whole character must be stamped with the divine utterances. Every jot and tittle of the Word of God is to be brought into the daily practice.
The Word destroys the natural, earthly nature and imparts a new life in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit comes to the soul as a Comforter. By the transforming agency of His grace, the image of God is reproduced in the disciple; he becomes a new creature. Love takes the place of hatred, and the heart receives the divine similitude. This is what it means to live “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
In the parable, the king’s examination of the guests at the feast represents a work of judgment. Only those were accepted who had obeyed his requirements and put on the wedding garment. So it is with the guests at the gospel feast. All must pass the scrutiny of the great King, and only those who have put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness are received.
Righteousness is right doing, and it is by their deeds that all will be judged. Our characters are revealed by what we do. The works show whether the faith is genuine.
Those who reject the gift of Christ’s righteousness are rejecting the attributes of character which would constitute them the sons and daughters of God. They are rejecting that which alone could give them a fitness for a place at the marriage feast.
When the king in the parable inquired, “How did you come in here without a wedding garment?” the man was speechless. So it will be in the great judgment day. Men may now excuse their defects of character, but in that day, they will offer no excuse.
Unless otherwise noted, all verses quoted are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” See John 15:1–8.
Jesus and the disciples were on the way to Gethsemane. Drawing their attention to a flourishing grapevine, He employed it as a symbol.
“I am the Vine, you are the branches,” Christ said to His disciples. The scion is engrafted into the living vine, and fiber by fiber, vein by vein, it grows into the vine stock. The life of the vine becomes the life of the branch. So the soul dead in trespasses and sins receives life through connection with Christ.
By faith in Him as a personal Savior the union is formed. The sinner unites his weakness to Christ’s strength, his emptiness to Christ’s fullness, his frailty to Christ’s enduring might. Then he has the mind of Christ. Thus through the agency of the Holy Spirit man becomes a partaker of the divine nature. He is accepted in the Beloved.
This union with Christ, once formed, must be maintained. Christ said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine; neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” The branch becomes a part of the living vine. The communication of life, strength, and fruitfulness from the root to the branches is unobstructed and constant.
“Abide in Me, and I in you.” Abiding in Christ means a constant receiving of His Spirit, a life of unreserved surrender to His service. The channel of communication must be open continually between man and his God. As the vine branch constantly draws the sap from the living vine, so are we to cling to Jesus, and receive from Him by faith the strength and perfection of His own character.
Separated from the vine, the branch cannot live. No more, said Jesus, can you live apart from Me. The life you have received from Me can be preserved only by continual communication. Without Me you cannot overcome one sin or resist one temptation.
The life of the vine will be manifest in fragrant fruit on the branches. “He who abides in Me,” said Jesus, “and I in him, bears much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing.” When we live by faith in the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing.
“By this My Father is glorified,” said Jesus, “that you bear much fruit.” God desires to manifest through you the holiness, the benevolence, the compassion of His own character. Yet the Savior does not bid the disciples labor to bear fruit. He tells them to abide in Him. “If you abide in Me,” He says, “and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7–8.
It is through the Word that Christ abides in His followers. The words of Christ are spirit and life. Receiving them, you receive the life of the Vine. You live “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matt. 4:4. The life of Christ in you produces the same fruits as in Him. Living in Christ, adhering to Christ, supported by Christ, drawing nourishment from Christ, you bear fruit after the similitude of Christ.
All verses quoted are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.
Adapted from The Desire of Ages, pp. 674‒677.
What did the apostle Paul mean when he encouraged the believers in Thessalonica to “Pray without ceasing”? I Thes. 5:17.
Here’s how we can understand his instruction. Prayer is really a conversation with God. But our conversation with God should go two ways. We shouldn’t be doing all the talking. We also need to listen to Him speaking to us. He has important things to tell us!
But how do we know when God is speaking to us? How can we discern His voice from our own thoughts or imaginations?
We can prepare ourselves to hear God’s voice by reading His Word—which is a revelation of God’s thoughts. When we read His Word, we can think of it as Him speaking to us personally. And when situations arise where we need guidance or encouragement, the Holy Spirit, who is the Author of God’s Word, can bring thoughts, convictions, and impressions to our minds in harmony with His Word. That’s one reason we must study God’s Word for ourselves, so that we can discern God’s voice calling to us over our own thoughts and desires, or even the voices of others that run through our heads.
Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27. Beyond specific prayer time to praise and petition God in public and in private, we should always have an open channel to God. This is the kind of two-way communication that we can develop with Jesus through the Holy Spirit and His Word.
There is nowhere in Scripture that commands us to close our eyes when we pray. The Bible describes Jesus lifting His eyes to heaven when He prayed. John 17:1.
And there are times that you must pray with your eyes open—if you’re driving or walking or you need wisdom during a conversation with someone. Nehemiah, the cup bearer to the Persian king Xerxes, mentions darting a quick prayer to heaven for wisdom when the king encouraged him to request his aid to complete the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Neh. 2:4. There was no time or place for Nehemiah to kneel or close his eyes for that prayer!
But there are times when closing your eyes keeps you focused on your communication with God and minimizes distractions. The important thing is to find a way to pray that fits the circumstance.
The Bible records instances of both. A number of prayers are recorded in Scripture because they were loud enough for others to hear. Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane is an example.
But the Bible also mentions instances where people prayed silently. When Eli observed Hannah weeping in the temple, he saw her mouth move, but because she prayed in silent distress, he assumed she was drunk and rebuked her. Her explanation moved him to bless her instead. 1 Sam. 1:10–17. Add to that instance Nehemiah’s quick, silent prayer for wisdom mentioned above.
Jesus denounced prayers spoken out loud for show and encouraged quiet devotion to God. “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matt. 6:6, ESV.
Some people find that writing their prayers in a journal works best for them. Others pray to God through singing. The book of Psalms was the hymnal for the Jewish people. It contains both public and private prayers.
A rich prayer life contains a mix of prayers prayed silently, sung, or spoken out loud.
It was a glorious spring morning in the Italian Alps. Warm winds had finally melted their impenetrable snowy fortresses. Foaming, singing water rushed down the streams. Over the passes from France came an army of 10,000 French soldiers. Up the valley of the Chisone came 12,000 Piedmontese soldiers to join them.
Marshal Nicolas de Catinat, the most renowned French general of the time, reviewed his orders with satisfaction: “Exterminate the heretics and maintain the Piedmont valleys for God and for King Louis XIV.” Catinat had many wagons filled with food and ammunition. Hundreds of soldiers pushed and pulled strong cannons to batter down the heretics’ fort. Catinat also had 400 ropes with which he intended to hang every one of the “traitors.”
That morning, the 400 Waldensian patriots looked down from their log fortress on La Balsiglia and saw the sun glitter on 22,000 bayonets. It was May 1, 1690. Three and a half years earlier, in the dead of a severe winter, a terrible slaughter and imprisonment had reduced the numbers of these ancient Christians from 20,000 to less than 3,000. The survivors had fled their homes, farms, livestock, and industries for Protestant Switzerland. But the friendly Swiss could not convince these hearty mountaineers to abandon their ancient lands forever. Under the leadership of a brave Waldensian pastor, Henri Arnaud, 800 men secretly set out in August of 1689 to recapture their territories.
For more than a thousand years before the Reformation, the Waldenses had practiced the simple Christian faith once delivered to the saints and had refused to join the growing apostasy of Christendom headquartered in Rome. Disguised as pearl and silk merchants, they had spread hand-copied portions of the New Testament throughout Europe long before the printing press. For these “crimes,” they were hunted down and put to horrible deaths. When the Reformation broke over Europe, the Holy Roman Empire redoubled its efforts to drive these and other Protestant sympathizers from her territories.
As Pastor Arnaud and his 800 brave men made their way over the Alps towards home, they encountered stiff opposition and lost half of their small number. Yet all along the way, the Lord wrought miraculous deliverances and victories for them. Now the 400 survivors would need a safe place to winter, and to plan and pray for their next move. La Balsiglia, a natural fortress far up on a mountain where two plunging rivers stood guard on either side, was the perfect spot.
The winter days grew shorter and the cold intensified. Between storms, the men felled forest trees and worked them into logs, which they formed into a strong fortress. They prepared spiritually by reciting Scripture, singing hymns, and offering daily prayers for divine guidance. As they reviewed God’s goodness to them in the past, they knew He would not forsake them in the days ahead.
Now as they surveyed Catinat’s 22,000 men arrayed below, Pastor Arnaud encouraged his comrades, “Fear them not. Remember, Gideon had only 300 men, so we have a hundred more than he did. Let us never forget what he was able to accomplish with the help of God.”
After Catinat had carefully studied the fortress, he remarked to one of his officers, “One day should be sufficient for our army to overwhelm those poorly armed, hungry, unskilled mountaineers.”
On the morning of May 1, the French bugles blew early. The Waldenses watched in fascination as Catinat on horseback led the first 500 men, flags and banners waving, to the foot of La Balsiglia. With a tremendous echoing shout, they hurled themselves upon the log reinforcements, but in vain. Ceaseless fire burst from the Waldenses’ guns, and the soldiers found the massive tree trunks impassable.
Very few of those 500 men returned to their camp safely. Of the Waldenses, not one was killed or wounded.
Catinat needed a new plan. Those great trunks must be destroyed.
Across the ravine from La Balsiglia was a piece of fairly level ground. Up onto this the cannons were hauled one by one. In two weeks the cannons were just where Catinat wanted them. This time he was sure not to fail, and he would soon put his 400 ropes to work.
On the morning of May 14, the French gunners opened fire on the log fortress. All day a stream of cannonballs poured across the canyon against it. By nightfall the once stout walls lay in ruins.
Catinat determined that the Waldenses should not escape and ordered great fires lighted so that they could not steal away under cover of night. The men in the dark, ruined fortress sent many prayers heavenward that night. God heard and answered them in His own way.
About 10 o’clock, the Waldensian warriors noticed mists gathering around the nearby mountain peaks. Eagerly they watched as the fog poured from cliff to cliff and in a few moments tumbled into the gorge where their enemies were camped, sealing it in complete darkness. Looking down from their ruined fortress, the Waldenses saw not a single fire.
But the question remained—could they escape, and if so, where to? Behind them rose cliffs which no man could scale. Captain Poulat, a native of this valley, spoke up. He knew a way over a razor-sharp escarpment leading past the enemy lines. Knowing that their only hope lay in leaving La Balsiglia, Arnaud and his men placed their lives in the hands of this guide.
Noiselessly, moving in single file, the men followed Poulat. In many places they could only advance on hands and knees. In the gloomy fog they could see but a few feet ahead. Far below, they heard the river rushing over boulders and waterfalls. Years later, when many of them retraced their escape route, they shuddered seeing that any man who tried to go over it even in daylight would be risking his life.
That night the fog poured down the cliffs into the gorge, sealing their enemies in complete darkness.
Down, down they went toward the river, shielded all the way by the friendly fog. Creeping past the French lines, they heard the soldiers boasting of the glorious victory they would win on the morrow. At the bottom of the gorge they crossed the stream and began to climb the mountain slope on the far side. Often they stumbled and fell, but they spoke not a word as they climbed higher and even higher, seeking the pass that would take them over and down into the next valley.
As the morning sun burned away the mists, Catinat marshalled his army and ordered a grand assault. Nearing the ruined fortress, his soldiers raised a mighty shout of victory, expecting every minute to be assailed by men fighting for their lives. But they met no opposition. Scrambling over the ruins they swarmed into the deserted fort.
They looked everywhere but beheld no enemy. A soldier suddenly pointed upwards. Far up near the summit they saw a small moving line of black dots. Their prey had escaped! The ropes would not be needed that day.
For three days the Waldenses marched. When they reached Pra del Tor in the valley of Angrogna, they were surprised to find deputies awaiting them with an offer of peace! Surely God had once again been their “refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Ps. 46:1.
Sources: History of the Waldenses, J. A. Wylie; Brave Men to the Battle, Virgil E. Robinson.
The year was 1985, the president was Ronald Reagan, and I had arrived at one of those milestones in my life. I had become a mother for the first time. I remember the wonder and awe I felt and considered myself blessed. The joy of that first baby smile, the tug of little hands reaching for Mommy, filled me with a new appreciation of God’s wonderful love.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 19:14. As He spoke these words, our Savior envisioned the potential for each child to inherit the kingdom of heaven. Looking at these precious children, Jesus saw the symbolism of His Father’s love for us, His wayward children. Christ portrayed this love in His own life and in many of the parables He told.
Jesus also said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 18:3. What did He mean by this statement? Jesus wanted us to equate the loving, humble, trusting disposition of children to our relationship with our heavenly Father. He longs for us to accept His Word knowing that we can trust Him to do what is best for us.
Children trained for the glory of the Lord are indeed a blessing, not only to their immediate family but also to society. God’s Word says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Prov. 22:6. Unfortunately, in today’s world, many parents do not feel blessed to have children. Many parents spend little quality time with their children, and many young people feel unloved and unwanted.
Children need a loving, Christ-centered home atmosphere to build self-esteem and provide stability. If home is an attractive place where respect and kindness prevail, children will learn to connect with their parents. There will be less correction and more connection.
In the home, children learn character-building values. The home should therefore be a shield from exposure to evil and a place where prayer is taught. It is in the home that a balance is created between systematic structure and freedom for youngsters to explore.
In my own home, my husband and I have found that practicing these principles over the years has built a trusting, loving foundation between us and our children. They trust our guidance, and we have become their best friends as we seek to aid them in character building.
When our first child was born, my husband and I decided that we wanted our children to be truly a blessing, not a trial. I gave up a promising career and remained at home with the children. It meant living on one income, driving older cars, and devoting countless hours to training.
During the early childhood years our love had to be tough. As parents, we had to be united in child rearing. There were times when we said “no” firmly and kindly but meant it. We learned that both harshness and indulgence gave rise to objectionable character traits and home tensions. As the children grew, we watched them mimic our words, gestures, and actions. This enforced the great responsibility that rested on us.
Decisions had to be made about what influences they should be exposed to, who their friends should be, and what values to teach and not to teach. Self-control and obedience were emphasized. The children were also taught that chores were done together in a team spirit. Therefore, they were never paid to do household chores, and we still do them together.
Our children grew up without the influence of television programs and artificial stimulation. School was done at home, and church activities became a central part of our family life. We made mistakes, but we learned valuable lessons from them. As we look back, we can confidently say it was worth it all.
Children need to have avenues to express their creativity and individualism. Provide safe and meaningful outlets for their talents, but keep the children close to you and join in their activities. Enjoy their ingenuity.
We were blessed with a country home, and the children enjoyed roaming in the woods. They worked beside my husband collecting firewood, felling trees, and banging nails. We watched them make maple syrup, learn to ride horses, and teach their pet goats to jump. We made crafts, food baskets, and cookies for the neighbors, climbed waterfalls, caroled at Christmas, camped, traveled on planes, and built snow creatures.
Children have their own personalities. Each personality needs to be studied and nurtured like a young plant. Pray to understand your children as God sees them. Pray for wisdom to guide each child from childhood to maturity. Never compare one child with another, but seek to bring out the best in each temperament. Let the children feel that each individual is a precious member of the family.
There are many precious things in this life—one of these is the love of a child.
When I look at my children and their very different personalities, I think of how much they have taught me. I also think of how I have learned about God through watching them over the years. I have learned to care for skinned knees and bruised fingers, to mend hearts and wipe away tears. I have learned the true meaning of patience, the rewards of perseverance, and the joy of simple things. I have expected from my children what they expect from me.
God has done all of that and much more for us. Perhaps that’s why He gave us children. If we pattern our relationship with our children after the manner in which God treats us, we see a glimpse of our heavenly Father’s care. God says, “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.” Ps. 103:13.
When I admire my children with love and pride, I understand more about the sacrifice that God the Father made for us. It would totally crush my soul to see harm come to any of my children. But how it must have crushed the Father dearly to give His only Son for a wicked world.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Psalm 127:3 says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord.” There are many precious things in this life—one of these is the love of a child.
All verses quoted are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.
Ginger root is known for its brown outer skin, pale yellow flesh, and its strong spicy flavor and aroma. Its unique and appealing flavor has made it popular in teas and as an added dash of flavor in many popular cuisines.
Beyond its warm citrusy flavor, ginger harbors an impressive array of bioactive compounds that impart a host of therapeutic properties. As we learn more about how to combat chronic illness, the spotlight turns to ginger’s potential to be a natural, versatile, and accessible remedy with a buffet of health benefits.
You may be surprised at just how extensive ginger’s beneficial health properties can be. In this article, we will explore the many health benefits it provides as a major tool in the journey toward restoring and maintaining optimal health.
Testosterone is the primary sex hormone in males, and it’s a hormone that has been in free fall in the developed world, with testosterone levels going down significantly across the board. It is also a hormone that naturally decreases as men age, contributing to age-related muscle loss and loss of vigor and vitality. Ginger, however, can help to enhance and protect testosterone production in men, making it a potentially vital root to always have in their kitchen.
Nobody wants to be in pain, and yet, sadly, many of us deal with it in some form every day of our lives. So much money is spent by suffering people every year on trying to find relief from their chronic pain. It looks like this is another area where ginger can also be very helpful. Research is showing that ginger, through a variety of mechanisms, has a pain-reducing effect and has been an effective pain reliever for migraines, back pain, arthritis, and even regular muscle soreness.
One of the main benefits of ginger is its powerful anti-inflammatory properties. The bioactive compounds within ginger, notably gingerol, have demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory effects in scientific studies. Chronic inflammation is increasingly recognized as a driving force behind a spectrum of illnesses, from cardiovascular conditions to autoimmune disorders. Ginger’s ability to modulate inflammatory pathways, inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory molecules, may offer a gentle yet effective means of addressing this underlying issue.
A shocking 37 percent of Americans are obese, as defined by a body mass index of 30 or more.1 And nearly 10 percent of Americans are severely obese. Obesity is a major inflammatory issue as it acts as a source of chronic inflammation and an amplifier of an endless host of chronic illnesses. While losing weight is a long-term strategy in dealing with obesity, in the interim, ginger can greatly reduce its harmful inflammatory effects, such as free radicals and blood vessel damage.
Beyond its anti-inflammatory prowess, ginger stands out as a powerful tool for promoting digestive health. Revered for centuries as a digestive aid, ginger possesses properties that can alleviate a range of gastrointestinal discomforts. It aids in the digestion process by stimulating the production of digestive enzymes, facilitating the efficient breakdown of food and absorption of nutrients.
Ginger is particularly celebrated for its efficacy in mitigating nausea, whether caused by pregnancy, chemotherapy, or motion sickness. Its soothing effects on the digestive tract can also alleviate symptoms of indigestion, bloating, and gas. The compounds in ginger may contribute to the regulation of gut motility, promoting a healthy and balanced digestive environment.
In addition to its ability to fight inflammation and promote digestive health, ginger is also very effective at boosting healthy immune function. Filled with potent antioxidants such as gingerol and shogaol, ginger supports the body’s defense mechanisms against oxidative stress and harmful invaders. Research suggests that regular consumption of ginger may enhance immune cell activity, providing a robust line of defense against infections as well as regulating healthy immune function to help prevent autoimmune disorders.
To access the remedial properties of ginger, I recommend making ginger tea by boiling 1 inch of sliced ginger in 3 cups of water for 20 minutes. This is an excellent way to add ginger to your day so you can reap the wonderful benefits that this incredible root offers.
Ginger is more than just a delightful flavor enhancer. From its anti-inflammatory prowess to digestive support and immune-boosting qualities, ginger offers a wholistic approach to combatting chronic conditions. It can also help with hormonal health, pain relief, obesity—and we didn’t get to cover its use as a remedy with cancer, cardiovascular health, and more. This is a vital food that you should always have in your kitchen to help prevent and reverse so much of the chronic illness we are constantly working to overcome.
I’ve grown my own food since I returned to Nigeria from the US in 2021—tomatoes, peppers, corn, cucumbers, cassava. The experience has been grounding. But more than feeding me, it has taught me.
One thing I’ve noticed is that everything grows.
Crops grow. Weeds grow.
That alone is enough to challenge a certain mindset we carry—the idea that “growth” is always good. But look at your garden, and you’ll find it isn’t true. Both wheat and weeds stretch toward the sun. Both push through the soil. In fact, weeds seem to grow faster. Thicker. Wilder. With less care.
Now, I don’t grow literal wheat. But like Jesus, I borrow the imagery, because when He told the parable of the wheat and the tares, He was making a point about growth and identity—not just agriculture. “Let both grow together until the harvest,” He said, “and at that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.” Matt. 13:30, NIV.
Both grow. But only one is welcomed into the barn.
Yet not all that grows nourishes. Weeds may flourish, but they cannot feed you. Good crops, on the other hand, though slower and more delicate, are filled with the nourishment that sustains life.
I’ve come to realize that my calling as a Christian is not to outpace others in worldly growth, but to grow in a way that pleases the Gardener. That kind of growth sometimes looks slow. It may even appear invisible. While others chase titles, wealth, or applause, I am called to patience, to surrender, to unseen roots and hidden obedience.
In gardening, food crops often require careful attention. Tomatoes, for instance, need pruning—removing the small shoots that steal energy from the fruit. Without it, the plant grows plenty of leaves, but little that can actually feed you.
Weeds don’t need that care. They grow wild, unchecked—and still seem to flourish. But that’s the difference: one is cultivated for nourishment, the other just spreads.
It’s tempting to compare. Look how far ahead they are. Look how much they’ve built. But when I look more closely, I remember that weeds also grow fast. What sets them apart is what they become. The real question isn’t just Are you growing?—it’s What are you growing into?
Sometimes, spiritual growth requires letting go of certain worldly ambitions. Not because success is evil, but because some dreams demand we uproot our faith to reach them. Others may not blink at those compromises—but for those who love God with all their hearts, the trade-off is too costly. We walk away. Not because we are weak, but because we want to be nourished, not just noticed.
The real question isn’t Are you growing?—it’s What are you growing into?
So grow. Not as the world urges you to grow, but as the Gardener invites you to. Grow downward in humility. Grow inward in devotion. Grow upward in faith. Let the Spirit till your heart and rain upon your soul. Let the Word feed your roots. And even if your growth is slow, know this: wheat is worth the wait.
One day soon, the sickle will swing.
And when the harvest comes, may we be found among the grain that nourished the world and pleased the heart of God.