The Parable for Effectivity

Last evening I had the opportunity to see the academy-award nominated movie, Lincoln, based on the life and successes of Abraham Lincoln's presidency. The accomplishments of this tall, awe-inspiring man were tremendous-but one aspect of his character stuck out to me as truly phenomenal and un-matched. 

Whenever Lincoln spoke, he drew crowds. He drew fans, and enemies, but whether you agreed with his views or not, he still grew crowds. He drew conversation out of people, and made the crowd ponder life-lessons and values. 

Amazingly, for such a tall and strong looking man though, Lincoln was not one to raise his voice in enforcement of his views. Instead he knew how to communicate effectively without needing to raise the volume of his voice, change the pitch, or utilize a certain pace. 

Instead, Abraham Lincoln told stories that mesmerized. He was was a genius storyteller. Through humor, history, and hope, Lincoln was able to translate direction in the midst of devastation.  Lincoln, spoke through parables. Life Lessons that point to his Savior.  I began researching some of the remarkable quotes by Lincoln and here are some of our world's greatest leaders comments on this man... 

 Count Adam Gurowski, a Polish exile who worked in the State Department, observed, “In the midst of the most stirring and exciting — nay, death-giving — news, Mr. Lincoln has always a story to tell.” 

Ralph Waldo Emerson declared, “When he has made his remark, he looks up at you with a great satisfaction, & shows all his white teeth, & laughs.” 

Walt Whitman saw something else in Lincoln’s storytelling; he thought it was “a weapon which he employ’d with great skill.” 

Lincoln knew when to find joy in the negative and light in the darkness. But he also knew that it was necessary to meet people where they are. 

Jesus Christ modled this through his relational outreach to the "least of these."  From a woman at a well, to the sick and dying, Jesus was able to meet each individual where they were, and through where they were. 

It is crucial as believers to know a lot about a lot of things. I know this sounds like such an odd observation- but I encourage all Christians to read often and read a variety of works. It is essential to relate to people, even people that are far different in the way they were raised or their visions for their future. 

When we find a "connect" with people, we are able to show them that we care about them enough to go outside of our inner circle. And, we are able to show them the reason for which we live, for Jesus. 

Just was the most educated "backwoods" president one could ever imagine- he had people intelligence and intellectual intelligence. 

Let us be people-smart. And, let us understand that each person may not understand the reason for which we live. This gives us a significant reason to relate to people through stories, and through their culture. 

Commonalities let us become comfortable. And commonalities form communities. Through these communities, we can reveal Christ to our inner circle.   


Matthew 25:34-36  “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’