By themselves, logical statements don’t persuade. And neither do examples or metaphors. But put all three together, especially if the statements are short and memorable, and maybe you have a three-part formula for making a little magic happen.

Jesus told parables, and his ideas sure caught on. He had some snappy sound-bites, too, like “He who shall save his life shall lose it.”

Trying to persuade without offering vivid imagery is like a bomb with a boom.