Among the many names for Jesus is one that can be easy to overlook: Good Teacher.

For most of his earthly ministry, Jesus spent time teaching his disciples and other curious people about God’s Word. He directly challenged people’s understanding of sin, attachment to worldly possessions, and attempts to appear holy.

But Jesus was also known for his parables: short, engaging stories that contained deep truths about his mission and his heavenly Father. Jesus told dozens of parables throughout his ministry. He used these stories as tools to share important lessons about sin, forgiveness, and redemption. While not everyone would understand the meaning behind the stories, it became clear to Jesus’s audience that he was not like other teachers. For those who would believe, Jesus’s parables helped reveal his identity as the long-awaited Messiah and Son of God.

What can we learn from the parables of Jesus today?

3 Lessons We Can Learn from the Parables of Jesus

Stories stick with us.

As humans, we are drawn to stories.

We all have favorite books, movies, and songs. Stories engage our imaginations and our emotions. Sharing stories about our lives and experiences helps us get to know one another better. And stories can reveal important truths about the world around us, which makes them a perfect teaching tool.

God knows how to talk to us because he created us. Through Scripture, he weaves an intricate story that spans the history of the world. In the Bible, we see examples of how stories can convict us of sin and communicate God’s faithfulness over generations. We also see how God’s story of redemption finds its completion in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

It’s no surprise that, as a good teacher, Jesus was also a good storyteller. Instead of telling people how much God loves broken sinners, he demonstrated it through the parable of the prodigal son. Instead of commanding people to value the kingdom of heaven, he showed them how precious it was through the parable of the hidden treasure.

Reading and reflecting on Jesus’s parables can help us imitate him as we share the powerful story of the gospel with others.

God’s wisdom does not follow the world’s rules.

As a teacher, Jesus spoke the truth—even when it seemed to go against everything people believed.

To those who doubted, many of Jesus’s parables must have seemed like nonsense. How could a so-called kingdom of heaven grow from something as small as a mustard seed? Why would the first be last and the last be first? Would it really be worth it to leave your flock to seek out one lost sheep?

The Bible teaches us that the world’s wisdom is nonsense to God. God chooses to work in a different way, using things that seem weak and foolish to the world to reveal the greater glory of his plans.

Without God, the ragtag band of disciples could never have carried the gospel throughout the world, sparking an international religion that has changed the course of history. But, like a mustard seed, their efforts grew through God’s grace—just like Jesus promised.

Through Jesus’s parables, we see that God’s wisdom does not follow the world’s rules. It’s a reminder to us that God can do all things—even those things which seem impossible.

God’s Word is our guide for living.

Jesus’s parables contain captivating storytelling and eternal wisdom. But they also remind us that God’s Word is our only guide for living.

Each of Jesus’s parables points us to the importance of Scripture, and we can find direction for our everyday lives in these timeless stories. Like the faithful servant, we should await Jesus’s return by living honestly and responsibly. We can learn how to steward our gifts and resources for God’s glory from the parable of the talents. We can be better neighbors by imitating the kindness of the Good Samaritan. Above all, we can build an unshakeable future by trusting and obeying Jesus’s words in Scripture.

Start exploring Jesus’s parables and see how they inspire your faith today!