Perception or Deception?
by Janice Price
Many parents and grandparents write about those “aha!” moments their children and grandchildren give them. I don’t have children or grandchildren so God uses other means to give me “aha!” moments. He often uses my pets.
My puppy Buddy weights over twenty pounds and he is barely three months of age. I’m trying to teach him to calm down before he breaks something or injures himself in his hysteria over having a door between us. One of the methods I use is to occasionally take both dogs in the car with me when I have a quick stop to make.
One day recently the weather was cool and breezy. It was ideal for a training session. I parked well away from other cars in the Wal-Mart parking lot so Buddy wouldn’t disturb other people, rolled the windows down a bit and walked to the bank with Buddy’s pitiful cries following me the first few dozen steps. There was no line, so I was in and out of the bank in a couple of minutes. I walked over to where I could check on the dogs without them knowing I was around, then made another quick stop in a dollar store to pick up some chew bones for the dogs.
I walked back to check on the dogs again. Buddy was asleep on my cushion behind the steering wheel. Merci was curled up on the back seat. The moment he realized I was near, Buddy started crying and beating on a window. I opened a door to toss them each a treat and headed for a quick stop at Wal-Mart.
An older woman approached, visibly upset, and said, “I saw you looking at those dogs in that car too. I’m very concerned about them. They’ve been left alone in that car for a looooong time and the owner hasn’t come back for them.”
This woman obviously has a kind heart, but her perception of this particular circumstance was wrong. Buddy’s loud cries were not, Help me, I’m dying in here, but, I’m spoiled and I demand you either take me with you or you get right back in the car this instant! Once he realized he wasn’t going to get his own way, he climbed into the front seat and went to sleep.
Things are not always as we perceive them to be. Sometimes we are gullible and are deceived by others, either intentionally or indirectly, but often we deceive ourselves. Our concept of time can be off because we allow an emotional response to cloud our thinking, as in “They’ve been left alone in that car for a looooong time,” or, “I’ve been waiting a looooong time for God to help me with this problem.” (Hey, Jan, you just asked him this morning.)
Sometimes we perceive things to be a certain way because we don’t want to have to change our way of thinking or our way of living, but God calls us to change and to obedience. We can’t live with one foot over the fence in the world and the other foot dangling in God’s kingdom. If we don’t make a decision on our own about which side of the fence has the most attractive grass, we’re going to fall off the fence entirely. Since the Spiritual side of the fence requires a decision and a commitment, guess which side of the fence we would then land? It won’t be an accident. It will be because we have made our choice, but we can be adept at deceiving ourselves that we are living in the Spirit even after we’ve fallen off the fence.
Do we perceive God as angry or loving? We can be deceived in this also. Our perception of God can be shaped by our own experiences in life and by our own church’s teachings. I had a hard time understanding the concept of God’s love, after years in a church that taught legalism and perfect obedience to the church’s doctrinal errors.
We can perceive others as angry when they are in pain, or as wonderful Christians while they are abusing God’s laws, perhaps even abusing their mates and children.
The point is that what we see or hear is not always factual or the complete picture. We should give others the benefit of the doubt more often and stop automatically repeating everything we hear because even the truth can become distorted in the retelling.
And we should ask God for the ability to perceive Spiritual truth. Without it, we truly are deceived.
© 2005 Janice Price
mercyandpercy@yahoo.com
www.mercyandpercy.com
Monday, March 21, 2005
Sunday, March 13, 2005
IF IT LOOKS LIKE A DOG
If it Looks Like a Dog
by Janice Price
If it looks like a dog, quacks like a dog and flies like a dog, it must be a dog. Isn’t that correct?
Anyone who believes this probably doesn’t see the need for spam filtering software for an email program.
Spammers are becoming more proficient at finding sneaky ways to reach us. As a rule, we are pretty gullible, not necessarily because we’re dumb but because we often want to believe the best of others. We don’t want to live in a world of paranoia, where we look for wolves in sheep’s clothing behind every pebble.
But if something that looks like a dog, quacks like a dog and flies like a dog arrives in my spam filtering program prior to downloading into my email box, I’m suspicious. It’s usually spam in disguise.
Sin is also becoming more proficient at finding sneaky ways to reach us. We now have a flying, quacking dog impersonator named Political Correctness creating havoc in society today. To be politically correct we must alter our language to redress real or alleged injustices and discrimination and to avoid offense; however, soft-pedaling it by changing what we call it doesn’t alter the facts. Let’s call things as they are - spam is spam and sin is sin.
We all know the story of John the Baptist. He was the epitome of political correctness. He told King Herod, “It’s okay to have your brother’s wife,” and John lived to a ripe old age.
And we all know how Jesus lauded the Pharisees for their piety and the perfect example they set for those under their authority.
No, I’m not delusional. I’m just checking to see whether you are paying attention.
The Old Testament prophets and the New Testament Apostles spoke the truth as God inspired them. John the Baptist was beheaded because he refused to be politically correct. I don’t think Jesus was worried about avoiding offense when he addressed the Pharisees. He called things what they were and since the Pharisees were hypocritical, he called them hypocrites.
Today Jesus would probably be condemned as a discriminating, fanatical, finger-pointing, offensive name-caller who doesn’t understand that it is offensive to hypocrites to not be called alternative religionists or whatever name they have designated for themselves. Because today we are much more enlightened than in Jesus’ day and we know there is no such thing as sin, everything we do is acceptable and whatever is right in our own eyes should be accepted as right in everyone else’s. It should be no wonder our children are confused about right and wrong, morals and ethics, with illogical teachings such as this.
Some say there is no such thing as sin and everyone will be in God’s kingdom or only a particular group will be or - There are many views, but the one that counts is God’s. God says there is such a thing as sin and unrepentant sinners will not be in the kingdom. He even names particular sins. The question is, do we believe him or do we want to fit in with society and be politically correct?
What we have here looks like a dog, quacks like a dog and flies like a dog. Society says it is a dog, so it must be a dog. Isn’t that correct?
No, it isn’t correct. If God calls something a sin, it’s a sin. That might not be politically correct, but it’s God’s truth.
© 2005 Janice Price
mercyandpercy@yahoo.com
www.mercyandpercy.com
by Janice Price
If it looks like a dog, quacks like a dog and flies like a dog, it must be a dog. Isn’t that correct?
Anyone who believes this probably doesn’t see the need for spam filtering software for an email program.
Spammers are becoming more proficient at finding sneaky ways to reach us. As a rule, we are pretty gullible, not necessarily because we’re dumb but because we often want to believe the best of others. We don’t want to live in a world of paranoia, where we look for wolves in sheep’s clothing behind every pebble.
But if something that looks like a dog, quacks like a dog and flies like a dog arrives in my spam filtering program prior to downloading into my email box, I’m suspicious. It’s usually spam in disguise.
Sin is also becoming more proficient at finding sneaky ways to reach us. We now have a flying, quacking dog impersonator named Political Correctness creating havoc in society today. To be politically correct we must alter our language to redress real or alleged injustices and discrimination and to avoid offense; however, soft-pedaling it by changing what we call it doesn’t alter the facts. Let’s call things as they are - spam is spam and sin is sin.
We all know the story of John the Baptist. He was the epitome of political correctness. He told King Herod, “It’s okay to have your brother’s wife,” and John lived to a ripe old age.
And we all know how Jesus lauded the Pharisees for their piety and the perfect example they set for those under their authority.
No, I’m not delusional. I’m just checking to see whether you are paying attention.
The Old Testament prophets and the New Testament Apostles spoke the truth as God inspired them. John the Baptist was beheaded because he refused to be politically correct. I don’t think Jesus was worried about avoiding offense when he addressed the Pharisees. He called things what they were and since the Pharisees were hypocritical, he called them hypocrites.
Today Jesus would probably be condemned as a discriminating, fanatical, finger-pointing, offensive name-caller who doesn’t understand that it is offensive to hypocrites to not be called alternative religionists or whatever name they have designated for themselves. Because today we are much more enlightened than in Jesus’ day and we know there is no such thing as sin, everything we do is acceptable and whatever is right in our own eyes should be accepted as right in everyone else’s. It should be no wonder our children are confused about right and wrong, morals and ethics, with illogical teachings such as this.
Some say there is no such thing as sin and everyone will be in God’s kingdom or only a particular group will be or - There are many views, but the one that counts is God’s. God says there is such a thing as sin and unrepentant sinners will not be in the kingdom. He even names particular sins. The question is, do we believe him or do we want to fit in with society and be politically correct?
What we have here looks like a dog, quacks like a dog and flies like a dog. Society says it is a dog, so it must be a dog. Isn’t that correct?
No, it isn’t correct. If God calls something a sin, it’s a sin. That might not be politically correct, but it’s God’s truth.
© 2005 Janice Price
mercyandpercy@yahoo.com
www.mercyandpercy.com
Monday, March 07, 2005
THE PERSEVERING DUST MOP
The Persevering Dustmop
by Janice Price
As I talked on the telephone to a friend in Arizona, Merci suddenly trotted past, legs pumping in reverse, dusting the living room floor with Cameron. Around the television set and through the bedroom door she sped. She nearly made it to her den before I could find my voice.
“Merci!”
Immediately, she released Cameron’s neck. It was all I could do not to laugh. Merci surrounds her bed with her favorite toys, and since they were roughhousing, she was merely moving her newest toy into her den.
Merci is a short dog and when I began writing this story, Cameron was a three-month-old kitten. When Merci picked him up by the nape of his neck to carry him, Cameron became an unwitting dust mop. Cameron didn’t appear to mind, but I did. He’s not the type of toy I am constantly telling Merci she should keep out from under my feet. Nor is he the type of toy I bring home from the dollar store. This toy moved in on his own, perhaps invited by Merci.
Cameron was one of five kittens born to the neighbor’s cat. For weeks, I couldn’t walk Merci near the neighbor’s house without the dog begging to visit the mother and kittens on the front porch. She was disappointed each time a kitten disappeared to a new home. Cameron was to remain as a companion to his mother, but she began to wander and Cameron was alone much of the time.
He started sleeping in a flowerpot on my porch and following Merci on our morning walks. One day he begged to come inside. Merci was so excited she jumped up and down, practically stomping Cameron under her feet. My cats’ hissing and growling spoke clearly that Cameron wasn’t welcome. He left with alacrity when I opened the door.
Still, one day he walked in with his friend Merci, climbed onto the dryer and lay down in front of the food and water bowls, where the other cats had to climb over him to eat and drink. That certainly raised the noise level around here, but he stuck it out, until one by one over the course of several weeks the other cats accepted his presence.
I carried him home several times. He returned, staring through the screen door with such sad eyes, I would relent and open the door to let him back inside. When his mother came into the yard, I thought he might return home with her. They chased each other around a bush a few times before Cameron ran to the back door. Then he returned to his mother, rubbed his nose against her nose in farewell, and raced up the steps after me. A few days later, I spoke to my neighbor and Cameron officially became Merci’s companion, playmate and dust mop.
I like Cameron’s spirit. Kittens might not be able to reason as humans do, but animals are not dumb. With winter approaching, Cameron determined to move indoors and he didn’t let anything stop him from reaching that goal, not even persecution from the cats already in residence.
I found this half-written story this evening, at a time I really need to be reminded of the value of persevering, even when a goal appears to be so far out of reach as to be unattainable. It brings to mind the story of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-5. God’s heart is more tender toward his children than mine was toward Cameron.
Merci is still dusting the floors with her kitten friend Cameron, and I’m inspired by Cameron’s persistence to hang on to my own goal. After all these years, God must be tired of hearing me ask the same question. One of these days he will answer and I don’t want to miss his solution because I grew discouraged and stopped trying.
Cameron, the persevering dust mop, didn’t quit and he’s curled up next to the keyboard helping me type this. He’s young and he can’t spell, but his perseverance encourages me. I hope it will encourage you.
© 2005 Janice Price
mercyandpercy@yahoo.com
www.mercyandpercy.com
by Janice Price
As I talked on the telephone to a friend in Arizona, Merci suddenly trotted past, legs pumping in reverse, dusting the living room floor with Cameron. Around the television set and through the bedroom door she sped. She nearly made it to her den before I could find my voice.
“Merci!”
Immediately, she released Cameron’s neck. It was all I could do not to laugh. Merci surrounds her bed with her favorite toys, and since they were roughhousing, she was merely moving her newest toy into her den.
Merci is a short dog and when I began writing this story, Cameron was a three-month-old kitten. When Merci picked him up by the nape of his neck to carry him, Cameron became an unwitting dust mop. Cameron didn’t appear to mind, but I did. He’s not the type of toy I am constantly telling Merci she should keep out from under my feet. Nor is he the type of toy I bring home from the dollar store. This toy moved in on his own, perhaps invited by Merci.
Cameron was one of five kittens born to the neighbor’s cat. For weeks, I couldn’t walk Merci near the neighbor’s house without the dog begging to visit the mother and kittens on the front porch. She was disappointed each time a kitten disappeared to a new home. Cameron was to remain as a companion to his mother, but she began to wander and Cameron was alone much of the time.
He started sleeping in a flowerpot on my porch and following Merci on our morning walks. One day he begged to come inside. Merci was so excited she jumped up and down, practically stomping Cameron under her feet. My cats’ hissing and growling spoke clearly that Cameron wasn’t welcome. He left with alacrity when I opened the door.
Still, one day he walked in with his friend Merci, climbed onto the dryer and lay down in front of the food and water bowls, where the other cats had to climb over him to eat and drink. That certainly raised the noise level around here, but he stuck it out, until one by one over the course of several weeks the other cats accepted his presence.
I carried him home several times. He returned, staring through the screen door with such sad eyes, I would relent and open the door to let him back inside. When his mother came into the yard, I thought he might return home with her. They chased each other around a bush a few times before Cameron ran to the back door. Then he returned to his mother, rubbed his nose against her nose in farewell, and raced up the steps after me. A few days later, I spoke to my neighbor and Cameron officially became Merci’s companion, playmate and dust mop.
I like Cameron’s spirit. Kittens might not be able to reason as humans do, but animals are not dumb. With winter approaching, Cameron determined to move indoors and he didn’t let anything stop him from reaching that goal, not even persecution from the cats already in residence.
I found this half-written story this evening, at a time I really need to be reminded of the value of persevering, even when a goal appears to be so far out of reach as to be unattainable. It brings to mind the story of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-5. God’s heart is more tender toward his children than mine was toward Cameron.
Merci is still dusting the floors with her kitten friend Cameron, and I’m inspired by Cameron’s persistence to hang on to my own goal. After all these years, God must be tired of hearing me ask the same question. One of these days he will answer and I don’t want to miss his solution because I grew discouraged and stopped trying.
Cameron, the persevering dust mop, didn’t quit and he’s curled up next to the keyboard helping me type this. He’s young and he can’t spell, but his perseverance encourages me. I hope it will encourage you.
© 2005 Janice Price
mercyandpercy@yahoo.com
www.mercyandpercy.com
Monday, February 28, 2005
THE ONE SIZE FITS ALL RESPONSE
The One Size Fits All Response
By Janice Price
I dial 9-1-1, the emergency number, and a recorded voice asks, What is your emergency? If you have a police emergency, press 1, NOW. If you need the fire department, press 2, NOW. If you need both the police and the fire department, press 3, NOW. If you have a medical emergency and require an ambulance, press 4, NOW. If you have a medical emergency and require an ambulance and the fire department paramedics, press 5, NOW. If you need the police department and an ambulance only, press 6, NOW. If you need to contact the police, the fire department and the Ambulance Service, with or without the fire department’s rescue squad, press 7, NOW. If you have an emergency that requires all of the emergency personnel previously mentioned, please hang up and go to our web site for complete contact information. If you need these steps repeated, press 8, NOW.
I have a high regard for local emergency personnel and those who man the 9-1-1 phone lines in the area, and this is, of course, an exaggeration and is not a recorded message 9-1-1 would ever present. But it highlights the frustration of dealing with an automated phone answering system when we try to reach the customer service department of many companies.
It is stressful to have a problem and to be unable to reach someone to help with it. Or to reach someone who responds with a mechanical One Size Fits All Response. Problems arise that do not fit into a pre-configured mold.
This One Size Fits All Response also abounds on the Internet. It is just as frustrating to deal with customer service in many companies by email because they will email the same One Size Fits All Response to every inquiry.
The past twenty-four hours have been a nightmare. How many times and in how many ways could I state the obvious to the two companies involved in the transaction? I am locked out of my new account because you have not given me an ID or a password, nor have you given me the opportunity to invent my own. I try using the ID and password set up with the company where I purchased this service and this too is denied. I attempt to access my account and am given the message the account doesn’t exist or I have the wrong login. I can’t have the wrong login. I have no login because you did not email it to me. The account has to exist because, not only have I paid for it, but when I try to access it through my original account with the sales company, I am taken to your login page for my existing/non-existent new account
Both companies repeatedly sent the same One Size Fits All Response: Instructions on how to retrieve my ID (have to have the password), how to obtain my password hint (have to have a password and an ID first) and how to reset my non-existing password, or how to use the account name and my street address to obtain this information (account does not exist message).
This was finally resolved when one of the customer service contacts stopped auto-sending One Size Fits All Response messages and actually “listened” to the problem.
As I try to de-stress, I think of how frequently we use a One Size Fits All Response to others. Some of us have condensed the answer to everyone else’s problems into one or two pet categories and, therefore, because we think we already know it all, we don’t pay attention. This places stress on relationships. As an individual, as a representative of a company, or as an Ambassador of Christ, we need to stop spouting One Size Fits All Responses and listen to the problem before we respond.
I would have fallen to my knees when this issue was finally resolved, to thank God that his ways are not our ways, but I couldn’t have gotten back on my feet today without help.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. (Psalm 34:15) “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?” (Matthew 7:9)
If we call God on the direct 9-1-1 prayer line, we will never hear a recorded multiple choice message. God is attentive, listening and responding to each of us as an individual. We don’t pray in vain to a bored, disinterested, One Size Fits All Response God.
© 2005 Janice Price
mercyandpercy@yahoo.com
www.mercyandpercy.com
By Janice Price
I dial 9-1-1, the emergency number, and a recorded voice asks, What is your emergency? If you have a police emergency, press 1, NOW. If you need the fire department, press 2, NOW. If you need both the police and the fire department, press 3, NOW. If you have a medical emergency and require an ambulance, press 4, NOW. If you have a medical emergency and require an ambulance and the fire department paramedics, press 5, NOW. If you need the police department and an ambulance only, press 6, NOW. If you need to contact the police, the fire department and the Ambulance Service, with or without the fire department’s rescue squad, press 7, NOW. If you have an emergency that requires all of the emergency personnel previously mentioned, please hang up and go to our web site for complete contact information. If you need these steps repeated, press 8, NOW.
I have a high regard for local emergency personnel and those who man the 9-1-1 phone lines in the area, and this is, of course, an exaggeration and is not a recorded message 9-1-1 would ever present. But it highlights the frustration of dealing with an automated phone answering system when we try to reach the customer service department of many companies.
It is stressful to have a problem and to be unable to reach someone to help with it. Or to reach someone who responds with a mechanical One Size Fits All Response. Problems arise that do not fit into a pre-configured mold.
This One Size Fits All Response also abounds on the Internet. It is just as frustrating to deal with customer service in many companies by email because they will email the same One Size Fits All Response to every inquiry.
The past twenty-four hours have been a nightmare. How many times and in how many ways could I state the obvious to the two companies involved in the transaction? I am locked out of my new account because you have not given me an ID or a password, nor have you given me the opportunity to invent my own. I try using the ID and password set up with the company where I purchased this service and this too is denied. I attempt to access my account and am given the message the account doesn’t exist or I have the wrong login. I can’t have the wrong login. I have no login because you did not email it to me. The account has to exist because, not only have I paid for it, but when I try to access it through my original account with the sales company, I am taken to your login page for my existing/non-existent new account
Both companies repeatedly sent the same One Size Fits All Response: Instructions on how to retrieve my ID (have to have the password), how to obtain my password hint (have to have a password and an ID first) and how to reset my non-existing password, or how to use the account name and my street address to obtain this information (account does not exist message).
This was finally resolved when one of the customer service contacts stopped auto-sending One Size Fits All Response messages and actually “listened” to the problem.
As I try to de-stress, I think of how frequently we use a One Size Fits All Response to others. Some of us have condensed the answer to everyone else’s problems into one or two pet categories and, therefore, because we think we already know it all, we don’t pay attention. This places stress on relationships. As an individual, as a representative of a company, or as an Ambassador of Christ, we need to stop spouting One Size Fits All Responses and listen to the problem before we respond.
I would have fallen to my knees when this issue was finally resolved, to thank God that his ways are not our ways, but I couldn’t have gotten back on my feet today without help.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. (Psalm 34:15) “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?” (Matthew 7:9)
If we call God on the direct 9-1-1 prayer line, we will never hear a recorded multiple choice message. God is attentive, listening and responding to each of us as an individual. We don’t pray in vain to a bored, disinterested, One Size Fits All Response God.
© 2005 Janice Price
mercyandpercy@yahoo.com
www.mercyandpercy.com
Monday, February 21, 2005
ARE WE LISTENING?
Are We Listening?
By Janice Price
We all want to be heard when we speak, to know another person is listening to what we say and understanding us. Communication is important between family members, friends, co-workers, and even between the animals in this house.
I am really pleased with how well my pets get along. The cats know the difference between a canine feigned and a threatening growl. With a threatening growl, the cat knows he better let go of that bone, remove his teeth from the dog’s ear, or take his head out of the dog’s food bowl - pronto! And the dogs know the difference between a playful swipe of a cat’s paw and the claws-out swat of an irate feline. They might not speak the same language but they communicate.
People are often a different story. Very few people actually listen to what is being said. They hear what they expect to hear, what they want to hear, or whatever agrees with the ramblings in their own mind.
There is the out of range listener. While someone is speaking, this person mentally prepares a shopping list, balances the checkbook or remembers a story that will top yours, whether a tale of woe or riches.
“You had an ingrown toenail? Well, let me tell you all the details about my hernia operation.”
There is the clairvoyant listener. The other day I started to tell a story to someone who interrupted me after the second sentence to give a negative opinion on the ending of the story. This is a regular thing with this person. I start to talk and I’m corrected, given advice or told what to do before the other person even knows what the subject is. To make matters worse, the response has little or nothing to do with the outcome.
“I was walking down Maple Drive, noticed a $100 bill in the street-” “What wonderful news! I know you can use the extra money.” – (“bent to pick it up, was hit by a bus and broke both legs. I’m calling you from my hospital room.”)
“I have been out of work for two years-” “I’m so sorry. You must be terribly discouraged. Perhaps my psychiatrist could help you cope with your depression.” - (“but I was just hired at four times my old salary and I will be working at my dream job.”)
“I’m not one of those people who thinks every dog should have at least one litter-” “Oh, that’s great. So, when are the puppies due?” – (“so I just had her spayed,”)
Then, there is the Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet!) personality from the British sitcom “Keeping Up Appearances.” Talking to a plant would produce a better response.
“Hyacinth, I can’t come over for coffee right now. An ambulance is on the way to take my husband to the hospital.” “That’s nice, dear. The coffee will be ready in five minutes. Do put on a nice dress before you come over.”
There is, of course, the non-listener. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. Would you repeat the last witness’ testimony, please?”
There are many other types of non-listeners. A true listener should be valued as a rare jewel.
Our listening habits carry over into our spiritual lives too. When God speaks, are we listening, or are we daydreaming, planning another good work to do for church, or assuming we know better than God and skipping the listening altogether?
When we read the history of the church and note the confusion in religious teachings today, we wonder how Scripture could be so confusing, giving birth to so many different beliefs, including mainstream religions and off the planet cult beliefs. But is it that Scripture is confusing or that we are confusing Scripture because we aren’t listening to what God is actually trying to communicate to us through his word?
John calls Jesus the Word. (John 1: 1,14) Others have called Jesus a prophet, a good man, a sinner, an imposter, and even a homosexual. Jesus knows firsthand what it is like to speak and not be heard or to be heard but not understood. He has come into contact with every type of listener that exists. Some heard what he said, believed, and lives were changed. Some heard what they wanted to hear and used his words as a Gimme License. (Gimme this, gimme that.) Others twisted his teachings to grow rich and powerful. His words have been used to institute total control over and sometimes physical, mental or spiritual abuse against those under authority.
The Bible has a lot to say about hearing, but hearing isn’t enough. Are we listening? Because if we aren’t paying attention, we won’t understand what we’re hearing. And if we’re only listening with half an ear, so to speak, we will miss his still small voice when he answers our prayers to guide us and direct our paths.
Sometimes I have been preoccupied, ill, overworked, or self-centered. Those have been some of my past excuses for not listening. I’m determined to do better today and in the future. I don’t want to miss anything God has to say to me. What about you?
The Word says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15)
© 2005 Janice Price
mercyandpercy@yahoo.com
www.mercyandpercy.com
By Janice Price
We all want to be heard when we speak, to know another person is listening to what we say and understanding us. Communication is important between family members, friends, co-workers, and even between the animals in this house.
I am really pleased with how well my pets get along. The cats know the difference between a canine feigned and a threatening growl. With a threatening growl, the cat knows he better let go of that bone, remove his teeth from the dog’s ear, or take his head out of the dog’s food bowl - pronto! And the dogs know the difference between a playful swipe of a cat’s paw and the claws-out swat of an irate feline. They might not speak the same language but they communicate.
People are often a different story. Very few people actually listen to what is being said. They hear what they expect to hear, what they want to hear, or whatever agrees with the ramblings in their own mind.
There is the out of range listener. While someone is speaking, this person mentally prepares a shopping list, balances the checkbook or remembers a story that will top yours, whether a tale of woe or riches.
“You had an ingrown toenail? Well, let me tell you all the details about my hernia operation.”
There is the clairvoyant listener. The other day I started to tell a story to someone who interrupted me after the second sentence to give a negative opinion on the ending of the story. This is a regular thing with this person. I start to talk and I’m corrected, given advice or told what to do before the other person even knows what the subject is. To make matters worse, the response has little or nothing to do with the outcome.
“I was walking down Maple Drive, noticed a $100 bill in the street-” “What wonderful news! I know you can use the extra money.” – (“bent to pick it up, was hit by a bus and broke both legs. I’m calling you from my hospital room.”)
“I have been out of work for two years-” “I’m so sorry. You must be terribly discouraged. Perhaps my psychiatrist could help you cope with your depression.” - (“but I was just hired at four times my old salary and I will be working at my dream job.”)
“I’m not one of those people who thinks every dog should have at least one litter-” “Oh, that’s great. So, when are the puppies due?” – (“so I just had her spayed,”)
Then, there is the Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet!) personality from the British sitcom “Keeping Up Appearances.” Talking to a plant would produce a better response.
“Hyacinth, I can’t come over for coffee right now. An ambulance is on the way to take my husband to the hospital.” “That’s nice, dear. The coffee will be ready in five minutes. Do put on a nice dress before you come over.”
There is, of course, the non-listener. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. Would you repeat the last witness’ testimony, please?”
There are many other types of non-listeners. A true listener should be valued as a rare jewel.
Our listening habits carry over into our spiritual lives too. When God speaks, are we listening, or are we daydreaming, planning another good work to do for church, or assuming we know better than God and skipping the listening altogether?
When we read the history of the church and note the confusion in religious teachings today, we wonder how Scripture could be so confusing, giving birth to so many different beliefs, including mainstream religions and off the planet cult beliefs. But is it that Scripture is confusing or that we are confusing Scripture because we aren’t listening to what God is actually trying to communicate to us through his word?
John calls Jesus the Word. (John 1: 1,14) Others have called Jesus a prophet, a good man, a sinner, an imposter, and even a homosexual. Jesus knows firsthand what it is like to speak and not be heard or to be heard but not understood. He has come into contact with every type of listener that exists. Some heard what he said, believed, and lives were changed. Some heard what they wanted to hear and used his words as a Gimme License. (Gimme this, gimme that.) Others twisted his teachings to grow rich and powerful. His words have been used to institute total control over and sometimes physical, mental or spiritual abuse against those under authority.
The Bible has a lot to say about hearing, but hearing isn’t enough. Are we listening? Because if we aren’t paying attention, we won’t understand what we’re hearing. And if we’re only listening with half an ear, so to speak, we will miss his still small voice when he answers our prayers to guide us and direct our paths.
Sometimes I have been preoccupied, ill, overworked, or self-centered. Those have been some of my past excuses for not listening. I’m determined to do better today and in the future. I don’t want to miss anything God has to say to me. What about you?
The Word says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15)
© 2005 Janice Price
mercyandpercy@yahoo.com
www.mercyandpercy.com
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