Prologue
To me, nothing is more debilitating than observing a gifted person stumble through life without direction, focus, or purpose. All too often I have been in the presence of such people. I have tried to help by exhorting, pampering, displaying anger and even praying for them. But in most cases, my efforts seem fruitless. However on many occasions, I have noticed a spark of enthusiasm when they are told a Bible story that addresses a situation similar to theirs. This observation inspired me to share inspirational Bible stories when these occasions arise.
Introductory remarks
The Bible is a rich source of stories dealing with daily life. The popularity and respect that the Bible enjoyed over the centuries give it an authority permitting its stories to be retold and modified without qualification. Thereby making them excellent vehicles to exhort someone to address an impending dilemma. As an example, let’s consider a Bible story that addresses the widespread tendency to underestimate the value of one’s talent. This link provides easy access to this Biblical text.
2 Kings 4:1 – 7 (NIV).
Elements of the story
The elements of the story are symbols awaiting assignments that reveal the wisdom of the story. The wife symbolizes anyone who is not aware of her talent or who undervalues her talent. The oil, the wife possesses, denotes her talent. Elisha is the symbol for the source that encourages us to engage in useful endeavors. The empty jars denote those needs that the wife’s talents can satisfy. The activity of the sons gathering jars denotes the process of noting the needs the talent can satisfy. Filling a jar denotes the wife’s talent satisfying the need.
The explanation of the story
The wife is in a situation of distress. She consults Elisha of her predicament by self-examination, or by discussing with another. After implementing Elisha’s directives, her distress is alleviated. Then Elisha instructs her to keep the remaining oil/talent for her later use; presumably to embark on something at another time.
The moral of the story
Identify your talent. Besides being the foundation of your purpose, It can satisfy countless needs.
The story’s affect on me
I entered retirement hostage to a life-threatening condition. My singular purpose was to reclaim health. After reclaiming health, I too, had to decide how to pay my creditors – what do with the rest of my life. This was an important decision because recovery did not guarantee my previous levels of strength, stamina and skills. So my self-examination had to address two questions. First, how must I approach life with this new body? The new body did not permit a continuation of my previous purpose for living. So a second question had to address my purpose for living. Its answer was crucial because for me, death is preferable to life without purpose.
This Bible story was more than inspiring. After revisiting it many times over many days, hope and the appearance of a new life for me came into view. The story became the lenses through which I saw myself from a different vantage point. With the aid of a serendipitous event, it became clear to me to disseminate my oils through writing.
Conclusion
The list of Bible stories is long and the situations are varied. I invite the reader to construct a list of Bible stories. Each will hold invaluable wisdom through which a new view of a perplexing situation can be had. Share your stories. One of them may provide the encouragement to change another’s life.