We are a people of stories. We use them to entertain, to teach, and to instruct. Sometimes they warn us of the dangers of wandering too far into the woods, or they can be a detailed story to explain how magnificent landscapes came to be. Story has always been the way we pass time, the way we connect to each other, and most importantly, how we promote our values.

Parables, especially, have a dual purpose. Not only do they keep us entertained, but they also make a point. Consider Aesop’s Fables—tales of talking animals who learn valuable life lessons.

Jesus used parables, too. The people who followed him were hungry to understand life and what was beyond. So Jesus did what every great teacher does—he used the power of story. With common characters and conflicts, he wove tales that made complex spiritual issues easier to understand.

Collected for you here are several parables set in far-away galaxies, on fascinating planets, and in the coldest depths of space. Characters. Conflict. Enlightenment.