A preacher’s vocabulary, through repetition, can become stale, flatten out and harden. The problem cannot be solved by turning up the volume. Aid may come from the Scriptures. Matthew says Jesus spoke in parables, figures of speech which are alive, stirring ever-new thinking.
John says Jesus spoke in riddles (“in a little while you will not see me; in a little while you will see me”) which keep the church scratching its head. And Paul, when speaking of God’s love, uses hyperbole. For example, he says, “I will show you the bestest way,” that is, better than best. Bestest? That is the way a child talks. Well, why not?
