The Parable of the Unjust Steward
Luke 16:1–12
Through the Parable of the Unjust Steward, I feel that the major principle that the Lord is teaching is to properly use the things that we are given in the world. I think that He is trying to teach us to be prudent which means carefully managing resources so as to provide for the future or having good sense in dealing with practical matters. We must use the resources that we are given on earth wisely to prepare us for the future. In an Ensign talk, Elder Tsung-Ting Yang shared the meaning of this parable in his own life “It reminds me of principles that continue to blee me and my family. I am thankful that the Lord’s parables not only contain great spiritual concepts but also provide very practical advice for achieving financial success within the teachings of His glorious gospel”.
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
Luke 16:19–31
Through the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus, we are taught the importance of not being covetous in our lives. We learn that it is not our wealth, profession, power, or possessions that define us. The rich man in this parable was a man that was “clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:” (Luke 16:19), but that didn’t matter after he died. We are judged righteously according to our works, not according to the superficial things that we obtain on earth.
The Ten Lepers
Luke 17:11–19
Through the Parable of the Ten Lepers, I think that the principle that we must remember is gratitude. I have heard a joke many times that reminds me of this, a man was in a hurry heading to work where everything had gone wrong that morning; he woke up late, he couldn’t find his keys, he got stuck in traffic. As he arrived to work, he found that all of the parking places were taken, but he needed to quickly get in for a meeting. He circled the parking lot as he prayed that a spot would open up, right as a parking space right up front next to the entrance opened up, he said to the Lord, never mind, I found one. This parable reminds me that we need to be grateful in every aspect of our lives, not only at our times of need, but also in the times that we are blessed or overcoming a trial. We need to remember the Lord’s hand in all things at all times.
The Parable of the Unjust Judge
Luke 18:1–8
Through the Parable of the Unjust Judge, we learn “always to pray, and not to faint”. In this parable, a woman continually seeks the help of a wicked judge who continually denies her; the determination of the woman finally persuades the judge to grant her request. It is important to remember that Heavenly Father wants to bless us, but more importantly, he wants us to come to Him. We must come to him in constant prayer and not faint. When it is the hardest to stand, we must kneel; it is through the Lord that we will find rest as we face our trials and tribulations.
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican
Luke 18:9–14
Through the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, we learn the importance of being humble. In Ether 12:27, we learn “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them”. We learn through this parable and this scripture in the Book of Mormon that we are given weaknesses that we may become stronger through them as we humble ourselves. We must remember the Lords hand in our lives as we overcome weaknesses. We also have to be willing to recognize our weakness and realize that it is only through the power of the Lord that we may overcome them.
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