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We see through metaphor-colored glasses

I'm not crazy about David Brooks (I don't agree with some beliefs he's expressed) but the guy is a baller writer and thinker and his latest article is a good one. Its about how we see life through metaphor in a much deeper and pervasive way than we realize. As a preacher, I'm always searching for the perfect metaphor to convey a spiritual concept. What Brooks helped me realize is perhaps the metaphor is not just a secondary means but the primary means by which we understand the spiritual realm. Jesus' miracles were all metaphors pointing to a greater spiritual reality. Brooks writes "If much of our thinking is shaped and driven by metaphor, then the skilled thinker will be able to recognize patterns, blend patterns, apprehend the relationships and pursue unexpected likenesses."

LORD, help me grow that skill. May you open our eyes to the thousands of lenses that refract grace into our lives.

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