By Andrea Lingle

Imagine a jeweller who had developed to such an extent his knowledge of precious stones that his whole life was in this distinction between genuine and false, suppose he saw a child playing with a variety of stones, genuine and false, mingled together, and having equal delight in both—I think he would shudder inwardly at seeing the absolute distinction resolved; but in case he beheld the child’s happiness, its delight in the game, he perhaps would humble himself under it and be absorbed in this “shuddering” sight.

Kierkegaard from Stages of Life’s Way, p. 205 (SV VIII 37)

For the next four weeks, the “Wisdom for the Way” will explore the parable, “The Jeweller,” from Soren Kierkegaard’s Stages of Life’s Way. 

Why? I knew that was coming. I live with a four year old. 

Why are parables helpful—what do they do? I am learning that that is an important question. What something is asks a different question than what something does. Being vs. doing. While contemplation is important, sometimes the nature of being is difficult to understand without considering the nature of what a thing does. So, we will begin by asking: What do parables do?

Parables show us the gap between who we think we are and who we are. 

Do you ever get that twinge that says, I see you over there pretending to have it all together but really having no idea how you are going to make it to Sunday? Parables have a way of cutting right through the veneer of what we want to be, to the small child with her arms up in the air, just hoping someone will scoop her up and smooth the back of her hair. Parables help us perceive ourselves just a touch more honestly. If we let them. Parables whisper, “Listen...this is for you.”

Parables say so much by saying not much.

Why do parables withstand telling and retelling and retelling and retelling? Because they resist the urge to say too much. They have a Divine reluctance to tie up every detail and answer every question. Parables create space. Who I am under the gaze of the prodigal son is different today than it was ten years ago, and in ten more years when we meet, we will meet as those changed by our roads.

So, we will spend time, pausing here with this tiny story, eighty-seven words, and let it speak to us.