LISTEN

                We live in a world filled with noise. All around us is a cacophony of sound. We are bombarded with many conflicting messages. We live with constant information overload. As a response to this attack on our ears, we have developed several defense mechanisms.

                One of the most common defense mechanisms is selective hearing. We develop a sophisticated set of filters that only allows certain things to penetrate. The rest is filtered out. This is very common in the political arena, as well as common discourse. Paul warned us about this in 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

                Another defense mechanism is to just shut out all of the noise. We see people doing this in a very tangible way. We have all seen someone walking down the street, ear buds in place, oblivious to what is going on around them. Bose has developed noise cancelling head phones that will allow a person to sit in virtual silence, even while surrounded by noise. In a spiritual sense, many people have done this very thing. The writer of Hebrews warns us against following this course of action. See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." Hebrews 3:12-15

                The third common defense mechanism is to fight noise with noise. It is common today to just shout louder than the other guy. Instead of meaningful dialog, whoever can broadcast their message the loudest wins; or so they believe. At the end of Paul’s summary of our world’s spiritual condition, he hits on this tactic. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:32  It has rightly been stated that a lie repeated enough times is taken as the truth.

                The counterpoint to all of these approaches is to learn to truly listen. Listening is far more than hearing. It is taking in the information, processing it, and responding in appropriate ways.

                The place where we need to start is tuning our ears to the voice of God. The Psalmist understood this clearly.  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10 Until we take the time to listen to God’s voice, we cannot put anything into its proper order.

                God reinforced our need to listen on the Mount of Transfiguration.  After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

    Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

    While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" Matthew 17:1-5

                Peter and the other disciples with him were overwhelmed by what they saw. They didn’t really know how to act. So in true form, Peter decided to take matters into his own hands. God stepped in and stopped Peter in his tracks. You can almost hear God says, “Peter, stop talking and listen!”

                Our need to genuinely listen must be transferred to our relationships with others as well. We most often get into trouble when we fail to listen. James challenged us to listen first and act later. My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:19-20

                It is easy to hear, but hard to listen. We all need to develop a listening ear so that we can hear the Master’s voice when He speaks.  "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." John 10:1-5