By Michael House @real_housemd
I’ve had people tell me at events where I’m displaying my books (all novels) that they only read non-fiction, because fiction is frivolous and not “fact-based.”
Well, I believe Jesus himself would beg to differ. He presented many teachings in the form of parables, and he has inspired so much great (and useful!) writing from the likes of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, G.K. Chesterton, and others—including members of ACFW.
Easily the most widely known and shared short story in the history of the world, across all languages, religions, and peoples, is The Parable of the Prodigal Son, found in Luke 15:11-32. And what a multi-layered masterpiece from the Master Storyteller it is! Might it have had tie-ins to actual events? Sure. Most fiction does. But it wasn’t presented as an historical account.
Not only are the perspectives of each of the participants indispensable —the prodigal son himself, the older brother, the father, the family’s servants, the citizens and eventual employer in the far country, and surely the mother (though not specifically touched upon in the recorded text)—but all their possible reactions and interactions beautifully reflect crucial teachings concerning pride and humility, obedience and disobedience, compassion and callousness, forgiveness and contempt, faith and distrust, reward and punishment; in sum, being spiritually alive versus dead.
In various aspects of our lives, we have all been the prodigal son. We have also been the parents, the brother, the superficial friends, the servants preparing the feast. On its face, the story tries to appear simple, but it’s not, and it conveys immense power. We can all continue to learn from it, and rejoice that the Savior cared enough to tell it.
M.D. House is a semi-retired business professional. As an author, he started out writing science fiction, but became fascinated with the stories of Barabbas, Cornelius, and the Apostle Paul, among others, which has led him on an amazing and faith-affirming Christian fiction writing journey. He still writes clean, faith-based science fiction, with some fantasy coming soon as well. You can learn more about him at mdhouselive.com.
What is the greatest short story ever told? Don’t just think of the content, but the reach—across languages, religions and peoples. The answer is clear. @real_housemd #ACFW #writing #writingcommunity #ChristianFiction Click To Tweet