A Good Illustration...

What does a good illustration look like?

• It connects to the point you want to make. Resist the temptation to use those stories and jokes that are really good but have nothing to do with what you're trying to say.
• It doesn't overshadow the message. One of my NT profs in grad school used a joke about St. Francis in one of his messages. It nearly had us rolling on the floor with laughter and I can still tell you the joke today. But I can't tell you the point he was trying to make.
• It's matched to the listeners. Twenty-some years ago I came across a great one to explain the destructive, addicting nature of sin (Google blood lick knife wolf if you're curious). It would have been great for talking with my hunting buddies, but some of the people in that evening service were turning green.
• It's honest. Don't present something as true unless you know it is. That doesn't mean you can't use the others, just include the caveat that you're not sure whether it's true. Like the old one about the woman who attended a University of Kentucky basketball game and couldn't get rid of her extra ticket because all her friends were at her husband's funeral. Sure, UK fans are rabid about their team, but did that really happen? If your listeners doubt the integrity of your illustrations, they're going to doubt the integrity of your message too.
• It's not always about you. After a few years of sitting in front of the platform, I've noticed that the trend toward "authenticity" has led speakers to use a lot of autobiographical stories. That's great - in moderation. Please don't take offense, but we didn't come to hear about you.

What am I missing? Click the comment button below. What do you think makes an illustration good?