One of the things you've got to love about Jesus is the pragmatic way that he taught. His parables took spiritual principles and made them practical. It gave his disciples something to talk about. I asked myself, "What would the modern day equivalent of that practice be?"

I came up with an answer and, with your help, will try an experiment: This next week I'm going to post a series of pictures without commentary. The pictures will work like parables, illustrating principles. But, just as Jesus would share a parable and then leave it open to his listener's interpretation, so we'll do that with the pictures.

Here's how the experiment will work: Every morning I'll post the picture. I'm asking you to use it as a basis for contemplative prayer (I call it "listening prayer"). Your instructions: Look at the picture and ask the Lord to show you what the spiritual application is. Clear your mind of distractions and listen to whatever God may bring to mind. Then post whatever comes to mind in the comment section. There are no right or wrong answers, so we'll all benefit from your particular take on the posted picture.

Now, it is ironic to me that, according to my stats program, there are about 430 of you that read this blog every day, but there are so few comments. It speaks, perhaps, to a need we have to engage with one another more. So, let me encourage you to give it a shot, beginning today. Tomorrow I'll share the actual story behind the picture. But go ahead and share whatever God gives you by way of spiritual parallel today. I think this could be fun if people dive in.

We begin with the following picture. I was driving through Charlottesville, VA and took this picture in a neighborhood we'd lived in 20 years ago.

The parable begins: "The kingdom of God is like a tent with a wheelchair parked outside…"