Analogies Never Lie

(Re-posted from March 19, 2010)

Being a blogger, preacher and a teacher I love the use of analogies.  The dictionary says an analogy is a similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison may be based.  For example, the analogy between the heart and a pump.  Analogies speak very clearly to me.  Perhaps that's why I like to use them.  Analogies don't lie!  When it becomes difficult to make a point, using analogies clearly establish the point.  We all use analogies, even when we don't know it.  Analogies never lie.

God has an uncanny way of getting through to me with analogies.  Maybe that's why I like to use them.  I can relate to them.  One set of analogies (God used on me) drastically changed my life.  He was lovingly dealing with me about consecrating my family and home to Him years ago.  Even years before that Connie and I committed our family and home to Him.  We had one of those "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" plaques above the main entrance to our home.  And we really meant it.  But we were also learning.  One day God clearly spoke to my heart and said, "You need to clean up your home if you're living for Me."  That really shocked me!  I really didn't understand.  I mean we had the plaque above our door and we were serious about it.  What could God mean?  Then He started giving me some analogies that changed my family's lives.  He said, "Stop using profanity in your home!"  I was dumbfounded because we had committed to no foul or profane language from our mouths.  Then He said, "Every time profanity comes through the TV you have allowed it into your home and it is the same as if you spoke it yourself!"  He didn't stop there.  He said, "Every time elicit sex is shown on your TV it is the same as if you've allowed adultery, fornication, and sexual immorality in your home, and done it yourself."  There was more.  He said, "If someone shows up at your door with a bottle of boose looking for a place to get smashed would you allow them in?"  I said "Absolutely not!"  He said, "But you do, every time it is shown on your TV."  There was even more...but I'll stop because if you're like me you quickly get the picture!  Connie and I quickly saw that the TV was a great source of contaminating our family's commitment to have a pure home.  Our loving God made a point, through analogies, we otherwise might have missed.

God used these analogies to speak the truth to me.  And let me tell you...I understood the truth very quickly and clearly!  Jesus used analogies quite often in His teachings.  He said "The Kingdom of God is like...".  Or "It is like..."  So many times He uses analogies to clearly establish His truth.  Analogies never lie! 

Perhaps you can think of some analogies God has used to get the message across to you.  I know He can speak to us in very creative and relative ways.  His point is definitely to change our lives.  He does it with the truth.  Analogies never lie!