Psalm 110; Proverbs 22:1-9; Luke 6:27-31

man listening to an old phonograph

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity, and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.

It is fascinating to me that these two readings are side by side. I was pondering on the second from Proverbs 22:8 and wondering, “how does the rod of injustice get broken?” Then BOOM, Luke 6:27-28, love.

This then leads to the question that I am confronted with:

Am I listening?

Perhaps the better question is, “am I hearing?“

I think of the scene from the film White Men Can't Jump where they are riding in the car talking about listening to Jimi Hendrix as opposed to hearing Jimi. Wesley Snipes character is emphatic that you are supposed to “hear” not “listen” to Jimi. Later in pivotal point of change for Woody Harrelson's character Snipes says, “Now you hear Jimi.”

We think we need to listen to Jesus, but the reality is that we need to hear him. There is something deeper that happens when we are heard as opposed to listened to.

I think the difference is that hearing leads to a response.

To love the way Jesus calls me to love in Luke 6 is something that I can give lip service to if I am listening. But, if I am hearing then it demands a response. The way of Jesus is radical.

I am wrestling today with, “Am I hearing?”

— Discuss...

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