Listening to Jesus is a thing that’s supposed to be a way of life for the Christian, and not just a thing you do at or before conversion. But when I think about it, and when I look around, it doesn’t seem that this sort of long-term, attuned-and-submissive listening to Jesus goes on like it should among the churches.
Now let me say right away that there are surely a great many churchers who are listening to Jesus for what they want to hear ― which is mostly palliative language to soothe them. But when they do that ― when they look for things like “come to me…and I will give you rest“, they’re often intending not to listen to what may be even the very next words out of his mouth ― that is, the part about having to take up his “yoke” and his “burden”. They’re all for the rest, and are willing to shirk the work, the tutelage and the obedience. So in this case, sure, they’re listening to a micro-bit of what Jesus said, even while actively ignoring the rest of his will for them. And that’s just not the kind of listening I’m talking about in this brief post. Indeed, what parent among us would be pleased with that kind of listening from their kids? We know better.
I could write you a book about good listening, but you could do just as much good for yourself just to stop and ponder the matter for a few minutes:
- How well do I listen to Jesus?
- What would he like me to hear that I haven’t wanted to hear?
- What if my heart were softer?
- How have I been holding back?
- Aren’t I in control of whether I listen well or not?
- What would he do for me if I were to listen?
- How would my relationship with him, and even my life be better?
A few minutes pondering this would be more fruitful than reading a book on the topic with one’s Sunday School class.
I’m convinced that listening ― real listening ― is the fundamental thing in a proper relationship with Jesus. And he has a way of “looking you in the eye” that will cut right through you and get to the depths of your heart faster than anything else I know.
The one who really knows how to listen, and yields himself to that practice, has some real spiritual superpowers, it seems to me. And I can’t think of any better skill set than that to have in this world!
