2 Samuel 12:1 The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.
The Lord sent Prophet Nathan to King David to bring conviction through a story. Nathan started narrating a story to the king in such a manner that the King thought that he was seeking a just judgment from him. “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him” (2 Samuel 12:4). David was furious when he heard the story. He wanted to punish the rich man who snatched away the only ewe lamb of the poor man –
Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! (vs 5). The unpleasant and uncomfortable ordeal ended in conviction. Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord” (vs 13).
Only if we are sensitive will we hear the message through the story that is spoken to us. Jesus spoke about the callous generation who hardened their hearts to the voice of the prophets. In the parable of the Lazarus the Beggar and the Rich man, Jesus narrated, ‘If your brothers do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded, even if someone were to rise from the dead’ (Luke 16:31). The hearts of the modern day generation are growing harder and harder to the things of God. They live to believe that this world is their destiny. They eat; drink and make merry but have no time to ponder about life after death or about the eternal Saviour.
Storytelling impacts a sensitive heart:
1. Simple: Only the simple could understand the parables of Jesus. At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children (Matthew 11:25). The learned scholars and educated tutors did not understand the parables of Jesus but He revealed Himself to the humble, simple and meek. Pride and ego is the greatest hindrance to divine revelation.
2. Sensitive: Among the elite educated Pharisees, there was neither excitement or enthusiasm to the voice of the Messiah. You people will listen and listen, but you will not understand. Sincerity energizes sensitivity.
3. Slack: David was one of the very few kings who respected the warnings of prophets. God will speak to us through prophets, preachers and parables. Many times God speaks to us through dreams. They might not be literal dreams but parables that draw parallel to the current situations of our life. God will comfort, guide or rebuke through parables.
The humble and simple are sensitive to the voice of God.
Matthew 13:15 You people will listen and listen, but you will not understand.. They have ears, but they don’t listen.
Prayer: Father God, mallow my heart to be meek and mild to be sensitive to your voice and decipher the voice of the world. Amen.
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