QUOTE : Sociologists are of course stumbling upon something Jesus knew better than anyone. He understood that if you want to upend a community's worldview, you have to tell stories, connecting truth to everyday experiences, as he does in the parables. You have to behave in unexpected ways, which, in his case, including turning the other cheek and healing on the Sabbath and hanging out with sinners. You have to be willing to share meals with other people, sitting with them and hearing their stories too. And you might even have to cede some ground, surrender some pride, sacrifice some honor-dying as it were, a thousand little deaths.