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The Metaphor: Use It to Express an Intangible Idea Tangibly
An online devotional for writers
A Word From The Word
The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. (Psalm 119:130, NLT)
A Word For Writers
A metaphor is a figure of speech. You use it to describe one thing by comparing it directly to another. A metaphor equates the two items as in, “Matt is a couch potato.”
The metaphor paints in your mind an image of a lump on a sofa. Yet obviously, Matt is not a type of tuber vegetable, but an avid TV watcher who gets very little exercise.
We can identify with these familiar images.
That’s a big reason why God uses metaphors throughout scripture. They help us understand spiritual principles – which can be abstract to our human minds – in concrete terms and can answer our questions in tangible ways. Here are few examples:
- You are the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5:13)
Why are Christ-followers scattered across the globe? Just as a bit of salt flavors an entire dish, God sprinkles His followers throughout the culture to reflect Christ. - Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. (Psalm 110:105)
Why should I read my Bible? It offers insight into how to live in my daily life. - There is one God, the Father. (1 Corinthians 8:6)
How can I know God loves me when I cannot see Him? God’s love is reflected in the protective, nurturing care of an earthly father.
You can explain an abstract truth with a metaphor. It’s a device that lets you communicate intangible concepts in tangible terms.
A Wise Word
A metaphor explains an intangible concept in tangible terms.
A Word To Pray
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for using familiar images to help me understand spiritual principles. I want to write with clarity. Show me ways to communicate intangible concepts in tangible terms.
In Jesus’s name, Amen.
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