LISTENING: Character Quality # 20

Over the next five weeks I want to answer the question: “How do I learn about my Christian faith?”

The first aspect of learning is to listen.  If you can’t or won’t listen, you can’t learn.  Definition of LISTEN = to hear something with thoughtful attention.

The first aspect of listening I call “decluttering.”

We clutter our ears with noise…others talking, music, television, city noise, babies crying or cooing, dogs barking, cows mooing, the car engine running, the cell phone ringing, the furnace humming, the rustling newspaper, etc.  Can you think of other noise that clutter your ears?

          There is another obstruction to hearing before we move on to listening – and that is thought.  Have you ever been so deep in thought that you literally did not hear what someone said to you, even though the sound made your ear drum vibrate?

When listening, don’t be putting together your next response.  Do you know people who are more interested in a response then they are in what you have to say?

James 1:19  My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak.

When listening, be intentional.  A perfect example of this in scripture is Mary of Bethany.     Luke 10:38-42

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

          Her posture was sitting where?  At the feet of Jesus.  I call that intentional listening.  How do you learn by listening at the feet of Jesus? Declutter the noise, listen intentionally: to what?  To God’s word, to others, to circumstance, to his creation.  Sit at his feet and listen, learn, worship.

Proverbs 4:20-22

My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.  Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them  and health to a man's whole body.

Matthew 17:5

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!"

          Can you think of a time when you really sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to him?  Can you think of practical ways to make this type of listening a greater part of your life or the lives of others?  Go ahead and share, we’re listening.

From the Heart,

Pastor Jeff