Devotionals by Dr. M. Craig Barnes
This people's heart has grown dull.
There's nothing worse than telling a hilarious joke only to hear someone say, "I don't get it." When you have to explain the joke, it loses its punch. But those who discern the irony, twists, and double meanings in a story always burst out in delightful laughter. It also helps if you have a sense of humor, and for that you need a lively heart.
The parables of Jesus are like sacred jokes, with really important punch lines. They aren't jokes in the sense of being untrue, but they do have an ironic twist about them. The smallest mustard seed becomes the largest shrub. The wheat looks just like weeds until the harvest.
A man sells everything he has to buy a single pearl and thinks he got a great deal. When Jesus told these parables nobody ever seemed to "get it." Finally he said, "This people's heart has grown dull." The interesting thing is that he kept telling the parables.
To this day Jesus is still telling ironic parables about his grace in our lives. You lose your job only to discover the faithfulness of God. You get deathly sick and learn the meaning of life. You get married and then realize only God can cure your loneliness. If you're going to see the grace buried in the parable, you have to take care of your heart. Those with dull hearts never see more than loss and hurt. But those whose hearts are alive with love for Jesus will find his grace in every story. Occasionally, they'll even break out in laughter.
-- Craig Barnes