If you have a struggle, likely you will find a character in the Bible who has had the same kind or a very similar struggle. If we think about the Bible, the Word of God, each word is put in there intentionally. Not one word is by accident, not one story, not one parable. They all can be applied to someone’s life, to some kind of situation, to some kind of feeling, emotional or physical.
King David was a triumphant King whose life was far from perfect. He fell and he failed God.
King Saul was the first king of Israel and he ended up turning his back on God.
And King Solomon, whose riches and wealth could not buy him favor with God,
and once he refused God and lost the fear of God, there was no room for repentance.
We also see the Prodigal son who squandered all that was given to him,
only to be reconciled to his father after repentance.
Then, we cannot forget the older brother who was always faithful to his father.
That good older brother did not understand
why his father would elevate the younger brother after he walked away.
His father and God taught him that he was always a part of his father,
and we realize in that generosity, we are a part of God.
God is always teaching us how to love, how to forgive, how to show mercy.
The parables and the real stories in the Bible show a part of God’s heart each time.
When Jesus reached out to those who were hurting, none deserved healing.
Jesus showed His mercy and His love and that He understood their suffering and heartache.
He who is without sin, cast the first stone. from John 8:7
Again and again, Jesus showed His love, His forgiveness, His kindness, His mercy and His grace.
He even showed that to Cain who had killed Abel, the very first murder, the very first blood that cried from the ground.
While God has been very disappointed with humans, He also knows how they think and why they think the way they think and why they do what they do. God still looks on the heart. He is not impressed with human righteousness and He is not bound by the sin of man. He came to set us free. He came to unbind us from this fallen world. Each story, each parable, each commandment is given to lead us and guide us and to help us become more like Him.
Is there a best parable? The answer to that is, depends on the situation. A fitting parable for this writing is the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the unlikely fellow who did all the right things before God, expecting nothing in return. Jesus thought of Him as the best and after the parable, so did the lawyer who sought Jesus’ application of the law.
In Luke Chapter 10, Jesus asked him:
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? v 36
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. v 37
A very good note to end on: Go thou and do likewise.