‘With many similar parables Jesus spoke the Word to them, as much as they could understand.’ Mark 4:33 NIV

If you’re serious about reaching and teaching people, there are two things you must try to do:

(1) Talk to them, not above them. A preschooler was eating an apple. ‘Daddy,’ he asked, ‘why is my apple turning brown?’ His father explained: ‘Because after you assimilated the skin on the exterior, the core structure of the apple came into contact with the atmosphere, which caused it to oxidise, thus changing its molecular structure and transforming it into a different colour.’ After a long silence, the little boy replied, ‘Daddy, are you talking to me?’ Can the listener understand and apply what you’re saying?

Paul told the church at Corinth, ‘I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.’ (1 Corinthians 3:2 NIV) Jesus made a point of tailoring His remarks so the people listening could grasp the message. The Bible says, ‘With many similar parables Jesus spoke the Word to them, as much as they could understand.’ (Mark 4:33 NIV) Think about it: Jesus was God, and He could easily have awed us with His knowledge. But because His desire was to change our lives for the better, He stayed on our level and spoke in a language we understand. And you must learn to do the same.

(2) Say it over and over again. The fundamental law of learning is repetition. It’s been said that people have to hear something sixteen times before they believe it and really ‘get it.’ The question that should concern you isn’t, ‘What will I say?’ but, ‘What will people take away from it?’

SoulFood: 2 Chr 12–15, Mark 5:31–43, Ps 119:57–64, Pro 21:7–9

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©