Perfect Illustrations that aren’t quite … True

Some years ago I was looking for an illustration to fill out a point in a sermon. I’ve collected various resources over the years. Most of them sit on my shelf gathering dust! With the advent of the internet, we now have illustrations at our fingertips, so it should be much easier now, right?

On the occasion I mention, I recall finding a particularly powerful illustration. It was perfect. It explained my point clearly, was very dramatic, had a powerful emotional appeal. What could go wrong? As I thought about it, though, I realize that the story was a little too perfect. Perhaps I had better do some research first, to check the illustration out.

To my chagrin, I found indisputably that the illustration could never have happened. Sometimes when we research illustrations, they are at least plausible, if not absolutely verifiable. This particular story could not have happened and simply never did happen. Unfortunately, in my research, I found preacher after preacher using the very same illustration in articles and sermons posted all over the internet. I sighed, gave up on using that illustration, and looked for something else.

Well, the story of that illustration didn’t die right there — some weeks later, I heard a friend of mine preaching. His message was excellent, very moving. Then he closed with The Illustration — it killed the effect of the message for me. I knew the backstory to the illustration.

One place I go to check out stories that are “too good to be true” is Snopes.com. As soon as I mention Snopes, I expect to hear a chorus of, “Well, you know they are liberal bigots, you can’t trust Snopes.” No one is without bias, certainly Snopes.com has its biases, which affect its conclusions. However, let’s be honest. We have our biases, too, especially when it comes to that perfect illustration that powerfully brings our point home.

The problem is that when we use unverifiable stories (or out and out false stories) we harm our credibility as gospel witnesses. Someone we are speaking to will know the back story, or at least the “back biases.” Is it worth it to have a powerful concluding illustration that makes you look like you play fast and loose with the truth in order to score emotional points? Wouldn’t it be better to simply use the message itself without an illustration and let the Holy Spirit do the convicting and motivating the decisions?

Good illustrations are helpful, but they sometimes can overpower a message. Usually those “perfect” illustrations are of that sort. Religion involves the emotions, that’s what made paganism have such a powerful hold on the ancient world. Paul and the other apostles overcame the false religions of the world with truth, not with made up stories that “fit” their message.

Similarly, I see friends posting “perfect” illustrations on Facebook.  These “perfect” stories come from sites like amazingtruenews.com or msnwillnevertellyouthis.com and the like. Do we really need to be so gullible? I realize that the major news sources are biased and you can’t always trust what they say. Does that make rightwingconspiracynut.com more credible?

Let’s take our stand for the Lord, but let’s take our stand in truth. Let’s take a pass on passing on stories that might be true, but we don’t know are true. Let’s be slower to speak, swifter to hear, and let our yea be yea and our nay, nay.

Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

 

Don Johnson is the pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.