When any of us listen to or read parables the lessons they contain are quite complex on many levels and these spiritual stories often cause us to reconsider the meaning of what we have heard long after the tale has been completed. Whenever we reread a story, new insights arise that help us paint a better overall picture of a story’s teachings.
A spiritual parable is rather like the 3D pictures that were popular many years ago. You may remember the elaborate pages of art that had hidden pictures within them. Some people couldn’t even see the hidden images within the pictures when they were prompted. This is because they couldn’t see the hidden wisdom buried underneath the pretty pictures. It is much the same with spiritual stories. People hear the tale but at first may not see the wisdom and gifts that are contained within the story itself.
The benefits to these spiritual parables are in the challenge to our thinking and also the growth that they bring to an individual’s spiritual and emotional being. There is no right or wrong message. The experience is a completely unique and personal one. This is perhaps one of the greatest blessings that are brought about through the sharing of a spiritual story. It’s not necessary to always teach others in order for them to gain new insights and wisdom. These stories concisely point out lessons and obligations that all can gain from in some way.
Spiritual stories that have spiritual knowledge and lessons to share offer benefit to all who hear them and read them and this knowledge does not leave us. Although the specific words in a story may fade to the back of our memory over time, we still remember the lessons we learned. In this way it will always be present for us to draw upon when it is needed.
