Blog Post #5: Parables
A Written Response By Lily Jeffs
1. What specific things did you learn from your group's parable?
When reflecting on my group's parable, I learned many different things within this religious subject. Specifically, I learned that the story was set during a time in which beggars were mistreated in which this evidently happens to one of the story's protagonists known as Lazarus. After the rich man noticed him, he ignored Lazarus as it was found during this time that the rich would not go near the poor or the sick due to them being thought of as an untouchable. When reflecting on this story, it has taught myself as a reader that the moral of this parable shows that wealth doesn’t fully determine if one goes to heaven or not, and is instead controlled by how much kindness and love they hold for themselves and others. With this, the rich man lived a luxury life with the finest clothing and food soon realized that he was being sent to Hell while Lazarus, the poor beggar who just wanted some of the rich man’s food, was sent to Heaven. I can ultimately incorporate this parable into my life when I see others in need in which I can assist them through acts such as giving them food or clothes so we can both live a happier life later on within God's love that he holds for both of us. One image that evidently reflects my learning experience with The Rich Man and Lazarus is shown below in which the rich man is shown ignoring Lazarus, causing him to later suffer the consequences once he dies.
As someone who previously wasn't very knowledgable about the religion of Christianity, after completing this project, I learned many new things about the parables found within the Bible that were presented by my classmates. With this, I learned that The Prodigal Son is a story written between 70 - 80 A.D and is about two sons in which the young son is given an early inheritance by his father that allows him to move out and gain a new sense of independence while his older sibling has to stay home and work for his father. This story taught me that we should never doubt or underestimate God and should instead fully love him. Apart from just this parable, I also learned about the Laborers in the Vineyard in which people who worked for different amounts of hours were being payed the same amounts, causing those who worked longer to become upset with their manager. When reflecting on this, it is shown to readers that loyalty is given to all and shouldn't be based on time but should instead be based on presence. Another parable I learned about during these presentations was the Parable of the Sower where Jesus sits out on a boat with a large group of people and tells them the story of a sower whose seeds are either lost, fall on a path, on rocky ground, or placed among thorns until some of them fall on good earth and eventually grow. Within the parable's lesson in which God has a path for everyone, this can be greatly used within my personal life when I am put in certain situations that don't immediately go as planned but eventually occur through the story's message that everything happens for a reason. The last parable I learned about was the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant where a servant is unable to pay off one of his debts to the king so he is exempt, yet later this servant forces another servant to pay off a debt yet they are unable to, causing the king to make this servant pay off the debt he was originally exempt from. Conclusively, all four of these parables play a major role within the Bible through their different morals and plots shown to modern day readers. One image that evidently reflects my learning experience with these presentations is shown below in which Jesus is spreading God's word to people across the world, including the numerous major characters found within these parables.
3. Which moral/lesson impacted you the most and why?
One moral that impacted me the most was that God has a path for us that will take time but can later lead to the desired success and happiness we want in life. This lesson was specifically found within the Parable of the Sower. I can incorporate this within my life outside of this story through situations such as not getting into a college I really wanted to be accepted into, yet knowing that everything happens for a reason and that this college most likely wouldn't of worked out for me due to God's plan. A more current event that relates to the Parable of the Sower is when I am trying new activities such as a sport and I don't do well but later find a different activity that I fully enjoy as a result of God guiding me to success and happiness within life. This particular piece of knowledge where everything happens for a reason ultimately plays a major role within life through different emotional situations of those who follow Christianity as well as those who do not. One image that evidently reflects my learning experience with this moral is shown below in which God is an almighty figure that plays a major role within my life as well as many others where he guides us through life as we grow and learn.
4. What do you think it would be like if Jesus were physically in our society today?
If Jesus were physically in our society today, then there would be a greater positive and religious influence throughout the current world. With this, Jesus and God's message would be able to further spread and change many different people's lives. The religion of Christianity would also gain many more followers from diverse areas across the world. Although Jesus' presence would have a beneficial impact on society, others following different religions may become upset due to him being so powerful compared to those that they worship. This could consequently lead to a repeat in violence as shown when Pontius Pilate orders to crucify Jesus. With saying this, Jesus' physical existence could positively effect my life in which I would be given the opportunity to speak with him in real life and though roughly learn more about Christianity from a figure who plays a major role within this specific religion and contact him when I am in need of help. One image that evidently reflects the act of Jesus physically living in our society today is shown below in which Jesus is shown completing a modern day action of walking on the beach whilst preparing to meet with those who need healing.
Works Cited
Brown, Jan. Color Walking on Water, www.zionmilaca.org/ColorWater.html.
November 7, 2013 · by Jack Scanlan · in Religion, Skepticism. “Question of the Week: Proving/Disproving the Existence of God.” Young Australian Skeptics, youngausskeptics.com/2013/11/question-of-the-week-provingdisproving-the-existence-of-god/.
“Resurrected Christ Appears to the People | Easter Clipart.” ShareFaith, www.sharefaith.com/image/resurrected-christ-appears-to-the-people.html.
stlukeskck@gmail.com. “‘Use Unjust Money to Make Friends’ | Luke 16:1-31.” St Luke's Lutheran Church, 21 Feb. 2016, stlukeskck.org/2016/02/21/use-unjust-money-to-make-friends-luke-161-31/.
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