Sunday, February 28, 2010

The Parable of the Broken Bow

There is a story (along with many others) that is told by those within my faith that is taken from a book we believe is scripture, The Book of Mormon. The story I’m talking about today is taken from the First Book of Nephi chapter 16. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with it, here is the gist.

A family left Jerusalem under the counsel of God. While journeying in the wilderness, they encountered many trails and hardships. One such hardship occurred when the brothers went out to hunt for food and Nephi’s bow, the one made with fine steel, broke.

As most Mormon born children….I’ve heard and read this story (along with many others), I dare say, a million times.  You then perhaps can understand my surprise when one day, I’m reading it again for the million and first time and see something I’ve never noticed before. The bow of fine steel may not really be a bow at all but a symbol for something else. Then in an instant the story I thought I understood changes, a parable unfolds and something new is revealed.

This is what I love about really great books. They can be read over and over and although the story may be rote, the message never is.

Gwenevere

1 comment:

Andrea said...

What! You're not going to say what you think it is? I have thought of this as a symbol before, maybe everyone's symbol is different...depending on what is broken in your life at the moment.