Contrast: The Hidden Psychology Behind Jesus’ Parables

Most people familiar with Dr. Robert Cialdini’s work know the seven principles of influence. But there’s another psychological concept that deserves attention because it’s always at work in our thinking.

It’s called contrast.

Simply put, people understand things by comparing them to something else.

When someone says a person is tall, what do they mean? Tall compared to whom?

At 5’9″, I might consider someone tall but a college basketball player may look at the same person and think they’re average—or even short. The reality hasn’t changed. The comparison has.

The same is true for weight, distance, speed, price, success, and countless other aspects of life. We rarely evaluate things in isolation. We evaluate them in comparison to something else. That’s how the human mind works.

This idea was top of mind recently as I listened to one of my favorite podcasts, The Dallas Willard Podcast. During the discussion, Dallas Willard made an observation that caught my attention:

“Contrast is the way the mind works. When Jesus came to teach, he taught by contrast because it suited the human mind.”

Think about how often Jesus taught through parables. He would begin with phrases such as, “The kingdom of heaven is like…” Then He would compare an unseen spiritual reality to something people could easily understand—a farmer sowing seed, a shepherd searching for a lost sheep, a merchant seeking a pearl of great value.

Jesus connected the invisible to the visible. He used contrast and comparison because people learn best when they can relate a new idea to something they already know.

That’s a lesson worth remembering for anyone who wants to communicate more effectively. The best teachers, leaders, salespeople, parents, and influencers don’t merely present information. They help people make meaningful comparisons that bring clarity and understanding.

This is one reason I became fascinated with the connection between influence and faith.

In my latest book, Influenced from Above: Where Faith and Influence Meet, I explore how many of the principles of influence are supported by biblical truth.

For example:

• “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That’s reciprocity.
• “Love your neighbor as yourself.” That’s an application of unity.
• “Let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no’ be no.” That reflects consistency.

The more I studied both influence science and Scripture, the more I realized they aren’t at odds with one another. In many ways, they complement each other.

Unfortunately, some people still hear the word influence and immediately think manipulation. Because of that misunderstanding, they try to avoid influencing others altogether.

But that’s impossible. We are influencing people every day—through our words, actions, attitudes, and example.

The real question isn’t whether we’ll influence others. The question is how we’ll influence them.

For me, the answer comes back to Jesus’ teaching that the greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbor as ourself.

When love becomes our motivation, influence becomes something very different from manipulation. Instead of trying to get something from people, we seek what’s best for them.

And perhaps that’s the greatest contrast of all. Manipulation seeks to benefit self at another’s expense but influence grounded in love seeks the good of others.

What do you think? Have you noticed other connections between biblical teaching and the science of influence? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Edited by ChatGPT

Brian Ahearn

Brian Ahearn is the Chief Influence Officer at Influence PEOPLE and a faculty member at the Cialdini Institute. An author, TEDx presenter, international speaker, coach, and consultant, Brian helps clients apply influence in everyday situations to boost results.

As one of only a dozen Cialdini Method Certified Trainers in the world, Brian was personally trained and endorsed by Robert Cialdini, Ph.D., the most cited living social psychologist on the science of ethical influence.

Brian’s first book, Influence PEOPLE, was named one of the 100 Best Influence Books of All Time by Book Authority. Persuasive Selling and Influenced from Above were Amazon new release bestsellers. His LinkedIn courses on persuasive selling and coaching have been viewed by over 850,000 people around the world and his TEDx Talk on pre-suasion has more than a million views!