The Power of Storytelling

How Stories Affect Our Earthly and Spiritual Lives

Was there a time as a child that your parents would tell you a story?

Maybe it was at bedtime, when your parents pulled up the blanket to tuck you in. The pillow was soft, the blanket a comfort as you sank into the mattress. Your parents sat on either side of the bed, smiles wide. Your body was giddy from excitement, ready for whatever they may read that night.

The lamp sat in the corner of the room and conveyed a soft glow, calming your racing heart. You were wondering what you would hear next, where you might be taken into dreamland. Maybe a castle, where a prince needed to save the princess. Maybe to school where you aced a test.

As children, we could be so drawn to stories because it meant being transported to a different time and place.

Can you remember a time when you were sitting around a campfire?

The stars were twinkling little lights in the dark sky. The smoke rose from the fire, disappearing into the air, but it left the aroma of wood. The heat comforted you, and the crackle of firewood was a constant reminder of where you were.

This setting provides a perfect atmosphere for storytelling. Why? Because you’re with the people you love, and there is an intimate feeling that arises. The rest of the world is at a standstill, and it’s just you, your thoughts, and those you want to share them with.

Through the power of storytelling, we discover purpose, meaning, and transformation. Stories help us relate to one another, and here’s why. 

The Four “Why’s” that Make Stories Powerful

They Build Emotional Connection

There are many books and movies that are known to make people cry. If you’re one of those people, you probably even know a few that are especially close to your heart, where you’ll be sobbing your eyes out every time. Maybe that’s The Notebook because of the love story. Maybe it’s Romeo and Juliet, seeing how their love could never be. 

There’s something about the characters that engages the audience to feel for them as they go about their journey. Sometimes, that means the characters have something going on that’s similar to what you may be going through. Maybe that’s a breakup or a death in the family. No matter what the event is, it’s meant to make us feel with the character and cheer them on.

In the same way, you grow an attachment to them. They may become what your hopes and dreams are for your own future, or help you see another way of handling events or situations. Even then, while the characters are usually fictional, they become more real and relatable to us in the audience.

Think of Jesus when He was telling His parables. Most of the people He was trying to reach were in the lower class, so He tried to appeal to them in a way they could relate and understand, such as with the parable of the lost sheep. Some of the people, at one point or another, may have had to tend to sheep. Or most of them would know what shepherds do when they watch the flock. Jesus was pulling from the crowd’s experiences to create a connection to the story He was telling.

They Teach a Lesson

Did you hear the story of The Tortoise and the Hare when you were a kid? Everyone was entranced by the pictures, thinking they knew who was going to win the race. But that wasn’t what happened, was it? In the end, the tortoise won the race. Your teacher was showing you and your classmates that you need to persevere, even when it looked like the odds were against you.

The power of storytelling is used so anyone can learn something new, usually a life lesson. Jesus knew the power of stories as He Himself told parables. There were multiple that He told to the crowds when He was traveling during His three years of ministry.

Some of His most well known parables are the prodigal son, the mustard seed, and the lost sheep. Each time, Jesus was intending to get a specific point across. But there is something that hits differently through a story.

People’s defenses often come up when they’re told what they’re doing wrong. But when those same principles are shared through a story, someone is more likely to receive the correction or encouragement because they understand how the principle played out in the made up situation.

Jesus knew people would gain a better understanding of His teachings through a powerful story, because the beliefs challenged the views of the Jewish leaders of that time.  

They Bring Imagination To Life

Have you heard of the book Where the Wild Things Are? The main character, Max, imagines himself having an adventure with many different creatures. To him, they came to life as he created his own story. In a similar manner, a movie called Sketch is about a little girl named Amber, who likes to draw. At some point, her drawings leave the page and become reality. Both examples show the idea that stories aren’t only dreams to some people.

Did you ever play pretend when you were a kid? Your friend would come over to your house to play. You’d run through the back door, the fresh air blowing your hair in all directions. You’d climb the ladder of your play set and sit in the house, your own secret hideout. Maybe you liked to play “house” where your friend decided who would be the mom or dad and who would be the child. You’d push yourself down the slide, squealing as you went, and took off laughing as you heard your friend chasing after you.

No matter your age, imagination brings out the fresh feeling of endless possibilities. It encourages creativity and allows us to consider different scenario outcomes as we make decisions.

In the same way, Jesus drew out the people’s imagination while speaking during His ministry, and allowing us to use ours as well as we read Scripture. God, Himself, is Creator, and because He creates beauty, He is the author of imagination and brings new possibilities into existence that weren’t there before. 

There are countless places in Scripture where comparisons are made to help the audience imagine what is being described, even if we’ve never seen it before. One of those instances is the description of heaven. Jesus tells the parable of the mustard seed and the wedding banquet to paint a picture of what the kingdom of heaven will be like.

By evoking the imagination, we are left with wonder and awe at the possibilities that await us, and it can draw our hearts closer to God as we discover just how creative He is.

They Offer Entertainment

The entertainment industry uses stories to draw viewers in. Take a look at some of the action movies that have been released over the years. There are many movie series that keep making more because they were successful. The Marvel movies have grown since the first Iron Man was released and the Avengers was created. Most movies, like Marvel, have action through fights, explosions, and more. They may include some sort of romance since it’s a hero saving someone. 

Entertainment provides another avenue of escape and thrill for us. It’s a way to further our imagination by seeing the creativity of others. We not only learn through entertainment, but we’re taken on an adventure. We’re given permission to dream and set aside the realities of life for a moment and breathe deep. To hold excitement and wonder and possibilities in our hands. 

When considering entertainment, we can also view it from the context of Jesus teaching people. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus uses many different parables when preaching to the crowds. While Jesus’ goal was not to simply entertain, He captivated His audience in a way where they had a choice: either acknowledge the enjoyment of the story and the entertainment if provided for a moment before carrying on with their life or take the deeper meaning to heart and allow it to change the way they lived. They could leave unchanged or yearn for more and discover transformation. 

What Does the Power of Storytelling Mean for Christians?

Jesus teaches us many things through His parables, and His goal is to lead His children to know and follow Him more deeply. He tells us stories so we can see how He sees and we can grow to be more like Him. 

There are many reasons why He chose to preach by using stories and parables. He wants to meet us where we are, and in order to do that, He steps into our world, and shows us He understands. The twelve disciples were among Jesus’ closest followers, but what most don’t realize is these twelve were most likely in their teens. Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, even eighteen year old boys who were following the way of Jesus. Children have an inclination toward storytelling, and as Jesus was instructing these boys, He could have used stories and parables to bridge the gap and connect with the disciples. 

The power of storytelling evokes emotions, imagination, and entertainment all while teaching a lesson. Whether it was hard lessons of discipline Jesus shared or encouragement to trust God and not worry, Jesus used the power of storytelling to draw people to His heart, and we can do the same. 

We’re called to be like Jesus in everything we do. Shouldn’t that include how we approach others, share hard things, or apply Jesus’ teaching to every aspect of life? We can be like Nathan in 2 Samuel who approaches David about his wrongdoing through a story to help him see his sin.

Whether it’s calling out wrongdoing in another brother or sister or building them up in the faith, we can open the door to the heart of Jesus and His love for us through the power of storytelling to point them to the truth of Scripture–one thought provoking story at a time.

Guest Blog written by Mary-Kate Holubowicz 

Mary-Kate Holubowicz is a college student who is striving to grow closer to Jesus. She loves to sit down with a good book while listening to music. While she spoils her family’s dog when she’s home, there’s nothing like having deep conversations with others and helping them live out their faith in Jesus.