Listening is an art

Listening is an art. A rich man answered the door and found a panhandler on the step asking for some lunch. He said, “I’ve learned it is best to work for my food. I’ll gladly serve you lunch if you will take this can of paint, go out back and paint my porch.”

The panhandler agreed, and was soon back at the front door claiming his lunch. The rich man was amazed at his speed and said so. The panhandler smiled and began to dig in to the lunch the rich man prepared. As he ate, he said, “You sure make a great sandwich, but you don’t know much about cars. That wasn’t a Porsche back there, it was a BMW.”

Much more seriously, I’d planned something to say to my granddaughter when she got home yesterday. However, her bus broke down, she had to catch the next one, and arrived just in time to eat before my husband and I left for another granddaughter’s soccer game. No time to say it.

This morning I asked the Lord if this is what He wanted me to do. It seemed right, but that delay in her schedule prompted me to question my timing.

My devotional verse was from Isaiah 50: “The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned.”

My first reaction was, Oh, good. I am supposed to say this to her. Then I noticed that “Me” was capitalized.

This passage is Isaiah talking about the coming Messiah. One of my commentaries says, “The emphasis here is on the Servant’s (Jesus’) submission to the Lord God in every area of His life and service. His mind was submitted to the Lord God so that He could learn His Word and His will.” He goes on to point out that everything Jesus said and did was taught to Him by His Father. He prayed for guidance and meditated on the Word of God. What He learned He shared with those who needed encouragement and help.

Not only does Jesus set a good example for the importance of a daily quiet time with the Lord sitting at His feet like Mary sat at His (see yesterday’s blog), but He sets a good example for being yielded, for hearing and obeying God’s voice. As fully human, Jesus shows us how to live by faith as humans. He did not use His divine powers apart from fully trusting His Father and depending on the power of the Holy Spirit, just as we are supposed to do.

My next reaction was, Oh, I am supposed to be like Jesus, and never assume that all the ideas I come up with are approved by God. I need to seek Him, like Mary did.

Another thought from this passage is that Isaiah was a prophet. One of the words that describe his job is ‘nabi’ which means “to bubble forth, as from a fountain.” From experience, I’ve learned that God most uses the spontaneous words I say, rather than those I carefully plan. To speak “in season” means to bubble out the words of God from a heart that is filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking naturally, without forcing it.

The other words that relate to a prophet pertain to someone who beholds the vision of God and sees into His divine will. That does not happen without spending time at His feet.

I realize how easy it is to say words, but not in season, at the right time. They might hit the ear but bounce off into outer space, heard but not heard. Instead of helping, they can even hinder the relationship or thwart someone’s spiritual growth.

Instead, God knows exactly when something must be said and when it will hit home the hardest. He keeps proving that as He speaks to me!