Selective Listening ...

Over the course of my career, I have discovered a phenomenon thru email I would have never imagined.  I have written a great many notes, with a certain intent, as far as I could determine clear direction, and nearly universally with a positive attitude and pleasant demeanor.  But, the readers of my correspondence had reactions I could have never predicted.  What I failed to recognize, is that while I may have been writing a note in a great mood, using light humor, and just thinking to myself how wonderful the sunshine is – my reader may not be reading my note in that same frame of mind.  For the reader, everything that day that could go wrong has gone wrong.  Problems at home having nothing to do with work.  Problems with the car getting to work.  And now, the aggravation of having to read some note, from some guy who is not getting to the point fast enough.  So my email recipient reads from an angry or frustrated point of view, which may have nothing to do with what I am saying, but having everything to do with how they read it, and often with what they read.  What my reader then takes from the note, is whatever they want to take from it.  Hearing what we want to hear, is what is called selective listening.

Most of us have done this at some point or another.  We are listening to someone talk to us about some subject or another, and we just seem to tune out.  We hear a few things, but rarely everything.  And we decide how we may feel about it, based on a number of factors, most of which have little to do with the content being shared.  Attitude plays a major role.  If you talk to me when I am consumed with anger, very few of your words are likely to get through.  It does not matter that something entirely different has made me mad (nothing to do with you), the problem is, when I am mad, I listen carefully a lot less.  The same holds true for being very excited, pleasantly or not.  What I failed to realize in an office setting is that this same phenomenon holds true whether in person to person talking, or person to person writing.  Of course none of try to do this, but we seem to just wind up there from time to time.  And hearing only some of what gets said, can leave out very important things.  Things that could change the meaning of what was said, or what is needed entirely.

Should you try to read the Bible with this kind of distraction, it can get ugly quick.  If you are like me, I have to read the same text over and over and over again in order to get back to some form of what it was truly trying to say.  I have to get “me” out of the way before scripture starts to make sense again.  And if you really want to have the Bible make sense, try reading it through the lens of Jesus Christ.  Look at how Jesus lived, how Jesus loved, how Jesus did so much for the benefit of others, and nothing for Himself.  And through that lens, entire stories, or commandments, start to look a lot different.  It may be impossible to get those pre-existing distractions completely out of the way before you start reading.  Perhaps the best remedy for that is a prayer, and a request for the Holy Spirit to get all that baggage out of the picture, and allow you to see what was written clearer, to get the message Jesus intends for you to get today.  And no, I do not believe it is selective listening to get a message intended for today from scripture, followed by getting a different one tomorrow, I call that growth, and being led.

But when we are determined to get what we want to get out of a conversation, or letter, we will do exactly that.  Even if others do not share our vision, and when they look objectively at the same conversation or letter as we do, they see things entirely differently, probably more truthfully.  But a preconception colors the outcome.  And when the preconceptions are dipped in evil, evil is the only path we have left open to us.  As an example, if I decide I want to kill my enemy for what I believe they have done to me.  I can read scripture and find texts and stories that will seem to support my desired actions.  Eye for an eye.  Eternal consequences.  Killing for God that is either ordered or seems justified.  If you come at this with a preconceived evil intent.  You will find your preconceptions validated (at least in your own mind).  And no amount of objective logic will ever turn you away.  The leaders of God’s own church fell victim to this.  They fell so hard, they wanted to kill God, rather than listen to Him.  They made a choice not to believe, and so believe they did not.

Luke tells us about a case of selective listening with the worst of evil intentions, in a group of religious leaders who should have been the farthest from that phenomenon that is possible to be.  Perhaps like we should be.  People of faith who should know better.  People with the right Bible who read it all the time who should know better.  People who were physically close to God, in the Temple back then, in His flesh back then, and in His Spirit today.  But despite all this, these religious leaders sought evil, and used evil to justify the killing of God, in order to preserve the name of God.  They would stamp out the life of Christ for the blasphemy they were committing.  It was twisted irony.  And it was this group of people to show Jesus we were not worth saving anyway.  Even the best of us, were so easily twisted to be this evil.  Even the folks with the most learning would do this.

Luke starts our case study in chapter 22 of his letter to his friend about what we believe and why, it picks up at the end of the chapter in verse 66 saying … “And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying, [verse 67] Art thou the Christ? tell us …”  The trauma had started Thursday evening.  They found Jesus coming out of the Garden of Gethsemane late Thursday night, bleeding from His sweat, tired, exhausted, as if He had already been through World War 3.  He had.  He wrestled with His humanity, struggling with whether He could go through with it all.  And worst of all completely isolated from His Father while He carried the weight of all our sins.  It was at His weakest that Judas comes up with the betraying kiss, and soldiers grab Him taking Him away in the night.  It is daybreak now.  The soldiers have been mocking Jesus, and smacking Him around as if He were not already down and out.  Jesus is to be taken before a select council, no sympathizers of Jesus would be invited to this shindig.  This is a kangaroo court with a specific outcome already predetermined in the minds of the participants.

The question they ask Him is not about His answer, it is only about using His words to give them the justification they need to put Him to death.  They are listening to condemn Him, not to converse with Him.  Continuing in verse 67 Jesus answers saying … “… And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: [verse 68] And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.”  Jesus points out they are not really looking to know the answer to their question, for it is not a question, it is an accusation.  And Jesus further points out the ultimate destination of this supposed court will end in no other way than His own death, for it is only for that reason they are all assembled.  No one is looking for true justice.  Everyone there is looking for death, His death.  No argument will do it.  Nothing He can say.  They will not let Jesus go, they want Him dead no matter what.  But through all of this Jesus will not refuse to speak truth to them, even if it is the last thing He may ever say to them.

Jesus continues His response in verse 69 saying … “Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.”  This answer is a little tricky.  Jesus has prophesied about where the “Son of Man” will be seen or found.  He gives no timeline for it.  Other versions imply these men will see this upcoming event.  But the statement is a statement of fact.  And to associate Jesus as being the Son of Man, you would have to accept that in order to condemn Him for His answer.  But that would mean you believe Jesus is the Son of Man and therefore the Christ.  Jesus has not said that He was the Son of Man in this answer, only that in the future this is where the Son of Man will be found.  Then there is the dangerous part of this sentence of Jesus.  The right hand of the power of God, implies there will be no power that Jesus is restricted from having.  To condemn Him may bring with it, a war against a power, they have no chance at winning.  It may even be a self-death-sentence they are truly passing.  But to see this, or hear this, they would have to be of mind to listen to His words.  They were only listening for one thing.

Luke continues in verse 70 saying … “Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. [verse 71] And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.”  Selective listening.  Jesus says and I am quoting - “you” say that I am.  Talk about poking the bear.  Jesus essentially repeats the idea that they are angry enough to kill Him because deep down they know He really is the Son of God, but they refuse to accept it.  Jesus still did not actually state that He was the Son of God.  As pointed out earlier what good would it have done.  They would not have accepted it or believed it, just because He said it.  So those bent on His death now attempt to use words He said to make that happen.  What difference does it make that He may not have actually given them what they were looking for.  Other versions describe a great deal of frustration during this purported trial as previous witnesses would disagree with each other making it impossible to convict Him.  But Luke does not discuss that.  He zeroes in on how those bent on evil will find a way to do evil, no matter what is said or how it is said.

But I ask once again, are we any different.  We may not have been present at the sham trial to convict our Lord, but do we still read the scriptures with intent, with preconceptions, with a notion to do what we want to do instead of what Jesus would actually ask.  Do we ignore the life and ministry of Jesus, in order to create and promote a judgmentally based religion that makes me feel holy because you are less holy?  That makes me feel better about my sins, because I know your sins are worse?  Do we scorn and avoid forgiveness of each other while still craving the forgiveness of God?  People do sin against us.  It happens.  That is why they need forgiveness, and why we need to offer it.  To choose not to, because we are still mad or hurt about what they did, is to put chains on our own experience instead of embracing the freedom Jesus longs to offer us in the form of forgiveness itself.  What slight, what sin, what hurt, is worth throwing away your own life because of what someone else did to you?  And worse to take up a course of vengeance masquerading as justice, and try to use the Bible to justify what you want to do, is to become a member of that ancient Sanhedrin, a guest of honor at the murder of Jesus.  I would rather instead be uninvited to an event like that, wouldn’t you?  Better to forgive.  Better to read with a mind to be led.  Better to let go any preconception, and allow the Holy Spirit room to show you something new.

 

What We Seldom See ...

Three lessons, but only two are ever seen.  Have you ever been in a conversation, perhaps with your children, or a friend; and what you were trying to say was “selectively” heard?  My mother once told me that it was time to go get in the tub.  [this picture is not me.]  So I did that.  I went, fully clothed, and stood in the tub, with absolutely no water, and waited a few minutes before emerging again to go eat dinner.  My mother noticing that instead of pajamas I was still wearing the same cloths as before, asked me if I took a bath.  I replied, you did not ask me to take a bath, you asked me to go get in the tub.  I did that.  Where is dinner?  My mother began to get angry, and then burst out laughing.  I chose to selectively hear what she said.  We both knew what she meant.  But I heard “only” what I chose to hear.  I would love to say this was an isolated incident in my life, but it was not.  Usually I was on the other end of it.  I would write an email to a colleague at work, and despite being as clear as I could think to be (in print), my colleague would interpret only what they wanted to hear.  I began to realize the reader of my correspondence has a perspective that is not influenced by my intent, it is shaped by what they want to hear.  They read my emails from that perspective and to reach them perhaps a personal interaction is better (though not an absolute, see my mother above).

In the front section of Luke’s gospel letter in chapter eight, there are three distinct lessons the author intended to convey.  But only two are ever studied.  The first is made mention of, perhaps used as an interesting factoid, or in a Bible trivia game – but the lesson Luke was going for – missed entirely.  If it were not, we would be hearing a lot more about it.  We don’t.  Ergo, missed opportunity, and selective listening.  By contrast, most every Christian has heard about the parable of the sower of seeds, and the parable of lesson of the lamp.  Those two lessons have been studied ad nauseum.  So let us take a second look at the first part of Luke’s trio and see how they work together to convey what the author had in mind.  First a little back story to set the context.  As you may know, Jesus had more than 12 disciples, He had as many as 70.  It was however the 12 that were closest to Jesus, perhaps the only ones who gave up careers and homes and families in order to be with Jesus full time.  And less fortunately in the days of these authors, either culture or society or habit call it what you will, they did not measure or count women in any statistics that might be mentioned.  While this was the culture of the day, this was not something Luke thought should govern it.  And so begins lesson one.

Luke begins in verse 1 saying … “And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, [verse 2] And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, [verse 3] And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.”  The Ministry of Jesus was now in its active phase.  Jesus was travelling through every city and every village.  Jesus was spreading the “glad tidings” of the Kingdom of God (you know the part that impacts the here and now).  And then Luke identifies the number of disciples, twelve, that were with Him everywhere He went.  Sounds normal right.  But that is not where the lesson begins or ends.  Look closely at verse two, it begins with the word “and”.  And certain women.  Along with Jesus and the 12 disciples were certain women who were there along with the rest, in every city, and every village they went to.  While they are not numbered as part of the 12, they are also not forgotten by Luke, or the Holy Spirit, or Jesus as this gospel letter was penned to Theophilus.  This was not to be a church of only men.  Women had always been there.  They were not second citizens in Christianity, they were founding members.

Then to name a few of these women, not all, but a few.  Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna.  By my count this makes 15 disciples in close contact with Jesus.  At least 3 women being with Jesus everywhere He went.  Then too, these women were not just sinners coming back to the fold, they had been healed of possession of evil spirits as well as other infirmities (perhaps the women who touched his hem, or the woman at the well of Samaria when Jesus was in that region).  Demonic possession, now lifted, and the response of these women was to serve.  They served of their means, of their time, and of their love.  It may be that the true number of these women were quite a few more, but Luke was only able to ascertain the names of these three.  The culture of the day may have prevented better record keeping on more than that.  Notice these women did not name the blood-sisters of Jesus, other daughters of Mary, His mother.  But perhaps they served at other times, or other places.  And even though no others were named, Luke is careful to write there were “many others” that were in attendance and in ministry.

Before we enter the study of the parable of the sower, it is important to understand that the targets of this analogy included both men and women, the conditions impacted both men and women, and the good news was to be shared by both men and women.  And lest we think the devil targets only men, the three cited above prove possession is not just a male oriented problem.  And freedom from the chains of Satan, often results in a commitment to service that nothing else could supplant.  Luke continues in verse 4 saying … “And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:”  Much people was meant to include women.  Luke is trying to make sure we understand that by the first lesson he pens in the preamble to this parable.  But so often we skip it, and just dive right into what is ahead.  But to do that, is to lose the importance of women in the entire ministry of Jesus, both as audience member, and as fellow servant.

Luke continues in verse 5 saying … “A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. [verse 6] And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. [verse 7] And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. [verse 8] And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”  This was the thought-provoking message about spreading the gospel and impacts of sin upon that message given to the entire crowd.  Everyone heard it.  But few understood it, we still have that problem today.  Understanding as well is not just a male difficulty, it may also be a female difficulty when examining the words of Jesus.  This is why when we listen to different perspectives from the body of Christ, we should treat them of equal importance, whether from men or from women.

Luke continues the story in verse 9 saying … “And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? [verse 10] And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.”  His disciples needed better clarification.  But that term “disciples” does not have to be exclusionary only to the twelve, it very likely included the women in attendance as well.  Nor does Jesus shew away the women so that only the men in attendance could hear His further clarification.  In effect, Jesus says only my followers are to be given this message with better understanding at this point in time.  But that by simple logic would again include both men and women, any who chose to follow Him with their whole lives.  This part of the lesson is for us as well.  When examining the words of Jesus (or for that matter the entirety of scripture), we should do it through the lens of Jesus.  What does the example and teachings of Jesus have to do with whatever part of the Bible we are reading.  If we cannot bring our understanding of what we read into alignment with the life of Jesus, we are reading it wrong (or understanding it wrong).  Scripture cannot be properly understood without Jesus.

Jesus then proceeds to expound on the second lesson of this parable in verse 11 saying … “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. [verse 12] Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. [verse 13] They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. [verse 14] And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. [verse 15] But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”  The explanation of Jesus has yet another lesson for us.  Just because I say a thing, does not mean that thing is true – even when I say something about myself.

I may say for example, that I am a “Christian” that is to say, a follower of Jesus Christ.  But what Jesus outlines above in His parable, is that there are some who hear the word of God, but lose sight of it almost as fast as they hear it – being distracted by the Devil to focus on other things.  Others hear the word of God, but have no relationship with Jesus personally, so when temptation comes they try and fight it themselves and lose.  Stony hearts must be transformed before they can grow fruit.  Still others hear the word of God and for a time they seemed to get it, but riches and the pleasures of this world prove to great a distraction, and over time they abandon the word of God entirely.  All three of these groups have one thing in common – they believe “they” are responsible for their own salvation.  But good ground, that is an honest and good heart – is not self-made.  It is made through submission to Jesus, through a willingness to be humble to something greater than ourselves.  Good ground is made by trusting Jesus to save us and getting out of His way.  That kind of ground not only hears the word of God, but embraces it, and grows fruit naturally.  A fleshy heart submits, a stony one does not.

Jesus then changes direction in His lesson.  Luke has given us the first two already – 1.) Men and Women are equally a part of the church in all things (as they were since the start).  2.) How we encounter salvation has to do with “who” we are relying upon to save us.  And now 3.) what does the impact of salvation look like in our day-to-day lives.  Jesus picks up in verse 16 saying … “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. [verse 17] For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. [verse 18] Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.”  Jesus says the effect of transformation is akin to lighting a fire in a candle.  You do not seek to hide it, nor could you.  It is life altering.  It makes you a different person, whose love shines brightly pointing men to Christ.  This is not something you are told to do, it is something you do naturally, like fire does in darkness.

It is easy to see if there is fire in a person or not.  Does their love point you to Jesus or not?  Hypocrisy on the other hand is all about the words, but nothing about the fire.  It is easy to hide the hypocrite, in fact they prefer it.  But what they lack in love will finally and fully be revealed for what it is, a full lack of love for others.  Saying it is otherwise is mere words, if a passionate burning love is not the deeds behind those words, fully in harmony with His laws and His love.  Remaining in the crowd to hide who we really are will not remain an option as time goes on.  Our empty words will be revealed to all as empty words.  And what spiritual prowess we think we have will be stripped away from us.  It has to be.  It is our self reliance that ultimately is preventing our salvation.  So God has no other choice than to strip us bare, and reveal our mistakes to us, so that we can be clothed in His robes of righteousness instead of trying to wash ourselves clean.  That kind of dress-down, or come-to-Jesus-meeting (literally), may be humiliating to the heart of the hypocrite, but it is the only option that may ever truly save them from themselves.

And again, this final lesson was not just meant for men, but for women as well.  There is a temptation sometimes within the church for wive’s to hide behind their husband’s spirituality as if it were somehow their own.  It is the same for children hiding behind their parents for far too long.  It just does not work.  What you know of Jesus, is ONLY what YOU know of Jesus, not what someone else does.  And given Luke’s first lesson, there are no excuses for women in this regard any more than there are excuses for men.  We are ALL the ground upon which the word of God is shared.  Hearts of men bound to career above Jesus will find themselves stone instead of candlewax.  Hearts of women bound to status and accomplishment above Jesus will find themselves equally a part of the rock quarry where the precious seeds of His word are scattered.  It is hard to humble yourself to Jesus, let alone between each other.  But it is humility that helps us see the next step in His love.  And the transformation that submission to Jesus brings is akin to lighting a fire in your life.  It is not passive and hardly noticeable.  It is life altering and impossible to contain.  Measuring a list of do’s, don’ts, and particulars of performance to see if you have been transformed is using the wrong yardstick.  Are you on fire, or not?  His flame, will burn away all remnants of hypocrisy from your life, and make you a beacon that points others to Jesus from the intensity of your love for them.