Christian Parables: The Ventriloquist

By Jwyan C. Johnson

Imagine a biblical playground of new riddles & parables where the scriptures themselves play along with you! It's a twist-n-learn experience of fun mystery & a better bible memory! Discover a ventriloquist without his puppet, watch a blind architect, witness a hide-n-seek champion who finally finds himself! Share the morals, fun facts, and even fun facts with the symbolism of today. For all ages.

Your List of New Christian Parables:
Each parable inside comes in 3 formats:

Story Version
WordPlay Version
Family Skits Version

The Hidden Smile Parable
A hide-n-seek champion becomes thrilled to be found inside a "new game which hides from him! And "ready or not," wisdom comes to reveal who's truly 'It.'

The Parable of the Ventriloquist
A mysteriously famous ventriloquist, without his puppet, reveals the "real dummy" to a potential fan.

The Smarter Copycat Parable
A schoolboy takes an "open book test," but in the subjects of School Crushes, Wisdom, and Caution.

The Mirror with Hallucinations
A painter strolls person-to-person offering to paint portraits for anyone if they simply pose for it. Although free of charge, posers will be "paying attention" to a picture worth a thousand words.

The Unsuspecting Suspect Parable
A standoff between a suspect and police becomes a mission for a hostage negotiator, a chess player, and an invisible smokescreen were (spiritual) justice is served.

The Parable of the Patient's Patience
A concerned father experiences the homonym effects between "patience" and "patients."

The Blind Architect Parable
A construction crew, blamed for a child's injury, discovers the real reason which hits many "like a ton of bricks."

The Parable of A Fair Affair
A potential office romance is threatened by an unusual request by Mr. Right result in a Ms. Story (or missed story) (or mystery).

The Invisible Carpool
A taxi driver recognizes an even more "driven" motive between his favorite sitting customer.

The Parable of the Fixed Marriage
Uncover the secret matrimony between a metaphorical Mr. & Mrs. Verbal Abuse.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jwyan C. Johnson
• Release date: Jun 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311050045

Jwyan C. Johnson

Years ago, author and award-winning poet Jwyan C. Johnson wrote the script to a cartoon. The story starts off with a police chase to a giant dictionary: the home of our vocabulary words. Cops break down the cover, and they all rush in with their weapons drawn. And as they move around inside this book, we learn that they’re looking for one specific word: a simple 9-lettered noun. It has been bragging about its countless offenses committed against our society, against mankind. Surprising unarmed, and not dangerous, this specific word simply turns us against each other.Detectives follow the "alphabetical” directions to the right page, the right column and the right row, only to discover that this word has disappeared! Nowadays this divisive word lives inside our minds if we let it! The accomplished mystery writer reveals that "ignorance” was the word the police were after.The creative writings of Jwyan C. Johnson aim to biblically "protect and serve” the mind state because "ignorance is still at large in our society!” And with his latest kingdom-seeking contribution, Christian Parables, there are some places where ignorance no longer resides so we can win back each other.

Book preview

Introduction

Our Mission

Years ago, I wrote the script to a cartoon. The story starts off with a police chase to a giant dictionary: the home of our vocabulary words. Cops break down the cover, and they all rush in with their weapons drawn. And as they move around inside this book, we learn that they’re looking for one specific word: a simple 9-lettered noun. It has been bragging about its countless offenses committed against our society, against mankind! Surprising unarmed, and not dangerous, this specific word simply turns us against each other.

Detectives follow the alphabetical directions to the right page, the right column and the right row, only to discover that this word has disappeared! Nowadays this divisive word lives inside our minds if we let it!

Allow me to ask you something. What word do you think the police were looking for? What one word do you think has that kind of power? What nine-lettered culprit of countless offenses simply turns us against each other? The word the police were looking for was ignorance.

My name is Jwyan C. Johnson. And my aim is to biblically protect and serve the mind state because ignorance is still at large in our society! But there are some places where ignorance no longer resides. With Christian Parables we can win back each other.

So are you ready? Let’s break down some psychological barriers together!

Jesus answered His disciples, I teach them in parables because while seeing they do not see. And while hearing, they do not understand (Matthew 13:13). A parable is a communication tool used to animate understanding between others through fiction. Specifically, they are inspirational short stories with morals in the same literary tradition of Aesop and Hans Christian Anderson. The twist, with Christian Parables, is a direct story combination of new literature and biblical animation: several scriptures sharing the same short story scene! The setting is imagination; the main character is the will of God.

Let’s Teach!

Matthew 13:13

Parable [par-a-bal]    Noun : a simple story or poem used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.

Example

Explaining Salvation:

The Parable of The Visiting Son

Sunny comes from out of town to visit his father, only to discover his pop surrounded by police, businessmen, and lawyers.

What’s going on? Junior demands.

They're taking my home. His father says reluctantly.

Give me the debt! The son yells toward the just-business environment.

The nosy crowd is astonished, including the father.

But, the bankers replies, "this is not your problem!"

The son stands his ground until the banker finally gives in. And, with the bill now in junior's name, the son simply reaches in his pocket and pays it off, cash. And immediately after, many witness the banker and the son wink at each other. To this day, spectators wonder, Did the banker secretly arrange for this well-timed rescue?

(This parable continued in the Epilogue)

Story Symbolism

Estate = Dominion

Other Town = Heaven

Son = Jesus (Son of God) (Son of Man)

Father = Mankind

Lawyers = Elements of the Covenant

Secret Wink = Messiah Confirmation

Financial Dialogue = Receipt of Sin

Banker = God Almighty

Nosy Crowd = Pharisees

Sharing Tips

Reach or Teach?

Tell me something. Which word comes first in the dictionary: reach or teach? An alphabetically fitting experience: we must reach first and teach later. To skip the reach (out) first is to appear redundant and cloned at times: not the most attractive personality traits. So reach out first by spelling out the experience:

Rehearse!

Have you ever tried practicing a speech to your own voice mail? You’ll be surprised how similar the feeling is to an audience. By leaving a message to yourself, you can privately edit your intentions against your stage moment. Turn your cell into a microphone and rehearse anywhere. Practice makes perfect, it’s true!

Emphasize

Communication is less than 7 percent verbal. This means you could recite every word correctly and only offer 7 pennies on the narrating dollar. What about tone, garland, and interplay? The sound and rhythm of a committed story-teller makes all the difference in the world. And literature agrees with grammar cues like italics, exclamations (!), and WORDS in all-caps. So let these intentions guide you and your voice. A bedtime story rarely intrigues without an interactive, emotional, component. So take the print to the next level!

Adapt

Actors truly experience the characters they play, and just let themselves go!  This is important even to a narrator as a story is told. Consider the body language involvement of a pre-school teacher as they tell a story. Create an environment with your hands, and integrate learning opportunities. Christian Parables uses scriptures much like a kindergarten teacher uses lesson plans dedicated to arithmetic. The viewpoint should always be an interactive one. 

Collaborate

Consider pausing in the middle of the story to ask your audience, What do you think will happen next? Give them the opportunity to react to the storyline and advise the characters. Also imagine making a play out of a parable. Invite family and friends for its cast of characters to rehearse for a short presentation. Include a narrator and another to explain the symbolism afterwards.

Host!

That’s right! Be a biblical talk show host with you audience! As every Christian Parable blends scriptures with its scenes, your bible could create an instant-replay through its correlation. Lead a discussion on the (withheld) moral of the story. Later bring about the fun facts and the elaborations from the characters themselves (in Chapter 4). Doing this warms up the participation reflexes of an audience, making for a fun transition into a broader Bible study. Have fun with it!

Chapter 3

List of Parables

Symbolism

Moral of the Story

Fun Facts Deeper Inside this Story

Biblical Inspired Scenes & Explanations

The Hidden Smile Parable

A Hide-n-Seek champion becomes thrilled to be found, inside a new game which hides from him! And, ready or not, wisdom comes to reveal who’s truly It.

Story Version • WordPlay Version • Family Skit

The Parable of The Ventriloquist

A mysteriously famous ventriloquist, without his puppet, reveals the real dummy to a potential fan.

Story Version • WordPlay Version • Family Skit

The Smarter Copycat Parable

A schoolboy takes an open book test, but in the subjects of School Crushes, Wisdom, and Caution. Although unprepared, he earns higher learning credits toward his future.

Story Version • WordPlay Version • Family Skit

The Mirror with Hallucinations (Poetry)

A painter strolls person-to-person offering to paint portrait if they simply pose for it. Although free of charge, posers will be paying attention to a picture worth thousands of words.

Story Version • WordPlay Version

The Unsuspecting Suspect Parable

A standoff between a suspect and police becomes a mission for a hostage negotiator, a chess player, and an invisible smokescreen where (spiritual) justice is served.

Story Version • WordPlay Version • Family Skit

The Parable of The Patient’s Patience

A concerned father experiences the homonym effects between patience and patients.

Story Version • WordPlay Version • Family Skit

The Blind Architect Parable

A construction crew, blamed for a child’s injury, discovers the real reason which hits many like a ton of bricks.

Story Version • WordPlay Version • Family Skit

The Parable of A Fair Affair

A potential office romance is threatened by an unusual request by Mr. Right, resulting in a Ms. Story (missed story | mystery)

Story Version • WordPlay Version • Family Skit

The Invisible Carpool Parable

A taxi driver recognizes an even more driven motive between his favorite sitting customer.

Story Version • WordPlay Version • Family Skit

The Parable of The Fixed Marriage (Poetry)

Uncover the secret matrimony between a metaphorical Mr. and Mrs. Verbal Abuse.

Story Version • WordPlay Version

The Parable of The Visiting Son

Sunny comes from out of town to visit his father (John 1:29) (Matthew 5:17), only to discover his pop surrounded by police, businessmen, and lawyers (Ephesians 6:12).

What’s going on? Junior demands.

They're taking my home. His father says reluctantly (John 10:10).

Give me the debt! The son yells toward the just-business environment (Isaiah 53:3).

The nosy crowd is astonished, including the father.

But, the bankers replies, "this is not your problem (John 18:35)!"

The son stands his ground until the banker finally gives in (Luke 22:42). And, with the bill now in junior's name, the son simply reaches in his pocket and pays it off, cash (Isaiah 53:10). And immediately after, many witness the banker and the son wink at each other. To this day, spectators wonder, Did the banker secretly arrange for this well-timed rescue? (John 1:21) (Psalms 22:30).

(This parable continued in the Epilogue)

Story Symbolism

Estate = Dominion

Other Town = Heaven

Son = Jesus (Son of God) (Son of Man)

Father = Mankind

Lawyers = Elements of the Covenant

Secret Wink = Messiah Confirmation

Financial Dialogue = Receipt of Sin

Banker = God Almighty

Nosy Crowd = Pharisees

(This parable continued in the Epilogue)

A Hide-n-Seek champion becomes thrilled to be found, inside a new game which hides from him!

The Hidden Smile Parable

Ready? The child leader yells from around the park tree. No peeking, okay… start counting!

One… another child begins, two… three… four…

Justin arrives late, long after the countdown. But he never misses a good game of hide-and-seek! So he looks for the other hiding players.

Psst, Justin signals another boy, "who’s It?"

"The Them Team!"

Huh?

"We’re playing teams! It’s Team Us against Team Them! The counter is their leader. But every one of Them is It and can tag you."

"Well…how can I tell Them and Us apart?"

By their smiles. The little boy explains. "Look at their faces, Justin. If they’re smiling, then they’re not one of Us. So hide from Them. And remember… they can be pretty clever sometimes."

Okay!

"And I’m the leader of Us, anyone who’s not smiling! We’re usually around the traditional pathways."

Thanks! Justin waves discreetly to his visible teammates and takes his place. 

Now Justin, a longtime hide-and-seek champion, picks a clever spot. He puts himself on a pedestal and climbs up a tree, right above the park’s merry-go-round. By positioning himself higher than everyone else, Justin saw an advantage to win this game. Now settled on top, Justin watches Them, the other oblivious team of smiling children. They’re so close, yet so unaware! And Justin is so pleased with himself that he keeps reminding himself not to smile. He would hate for his loyal team to think, "Justin’s not really one of Us."

Still undetected, winning every hidden second, Justin’s stomach begins to growl. And his hidden smile becomes truly hidden from him, as he continues to ‘look down’ on Them: the smiling others. However, Justin reasons that it’s lonely on top, and it comes with the territory.  He also remembers the reputation for Them being clever and wonders if his inner feelings are actually a trick from Them. The suspicion keeps him ‘high up.’ But ‘deep down’ Justin questions the difference between feeling lost, and not being found. 

Suddenly, a sound of shaking leaves in Justin’s tree begins.

Whoah…OUCH!A little girl falls from an upper branch beside Justin, dusting herself off.

"Are you playing hide-and-seek?"

Justin stares at her to make sure she’s not smiling.

Uh huh, Justin replies.

Really? But the game is over! The little girl informs, "It’s been over for a while. Our LEADER won it for both Us and Them!"

This sounds like a trick, Justin says in doubt. "How do I know you’re not one of Them, on the other team?"

Well… I would’ve tagged you already!

"Okay. Well maybe you’re one of Us, and you want my ‘high position’ all to yourself!"

Unable to hold it in any longer, the little girl begins to smile.

"AHA! Justin says, dropping down one tree level, you shoulda tagged me when you had the chance!"

Justin slides further down, looking for the original tree to touch and be safe. But it has