As we read the life of Jesus in the gospels, it is sometimes helpful to imagine ourselves in the scene. We can imagine being one of the main characters, or a lesser represented person. The more we know of conditions in the time of Christ, the more helpful this will be. Being a hot, dry country, so different from ours there is much to learn about the clothes, customs, food, relationships and customs of the time. Jesus talked about sheep because there were a lot of them around and many people earned their living dealing with them in different ways.
In these stories we might be impetuous Peter, kindly Luke, a wise man, a lost prodigal. How did others act around us, what did we see, smell, hear, taste or touch? What did Jesus say to us. as we played this role. Are there lessons for us to learn from the stories? This is praying in a different way. God can still speak to us.