Have you noticed how Jesus seldom answered a question directly? Who is my neighbor? Well, a man was walking down to Jericho…. How often must I forgive? There was a man who owed a huge amount…. “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” “The master of the house has arisen and locked the door…” This style of teaching has two effects. First, it serves as a reminder that one size does not fit all. Despite our desire for sure, pat answers to life’s problems every response is tentative. Second, it shows how much Jesus trusts us. Instead of providing a neat set of rules for his followers to obey, he told stories so that we could find the meaning in our own lives.
