Literal Thinking Can Be Limiting

 My brother, Bobby, had a echo cardiogram a few days ago.  Bobby is developmentally delayed.  When he was asking me what they were going to do to him, I tried to give a simple answer.  I told him they would put some jelly on his chest and use an instrument so they could see his heart at work.  Just as I gave my explanation, I realized that I had messed up.  Bobby responded to my explanation with, "Will they put grape jelly on my chest?"  Bobby loves grape jelly on his peanut butter sandwiches.  I tried to clear up my explanation by saying the jelly was like Vaseline.  After an hour or so, Bobby came to me and informed me that he didn't know you could buy grape or strawberry Vaseline.  He said that not only did he not know this, but didn't understand why anyone would want grape Vaseline.  I realized that I couldn't get around his literal understanding of what I had said.  To think only in literal concepts is not only very limiting; it is also makes one unable to think beyond that literal understanding.  I wish I had used a different word than 'jelly' in my explanation to Bobby.  I wish there were not so much literal thinking in our Churches.