My election year mantra: ‘Let me Listen’
TULSA, Okla. — Jeanie and I sat in Chapman Hall…
Editorial: As truth-seeking Christians, we must be willing to listen
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‘Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”
That’s how Luke in Acts 17 describes the Jews in Berea and their response to the gospel message — a message that to many Jews was blasphemous.
Just ask the Thessalonian Jews who ran Paul out of town.
Just ask the Jews of Jerusalem who had Jesus crucified.
Related: My election year mantra: ‘Let me Listen’
But those in Berea were more noble-minded, not because they blindly believed but because they listened and searched the Scriptures to determine if Paul’s message was true — and it was.
We all like to think we have the truth on every issue. We all have a confirmation bias, preferring to seek out and listen to arguments that support what we already believe.
No one likes to be wrong.
But we often are. The Bible is littered with people who thought they knew the truth, until they didn’t.
Even Christians can be wrong — just look to the number of disagreements between members of our fellowship to see that must be so.
That means if our goal is to get to the truth — and it should be — we have to be willing, in humility, to hear perspectives with which we don’t agree.
We have to listen to sermons that step on our toes and opinions that make us squirm, even when our instinct is to plug our ears.
“Listening does not necessarily mean validating. Not every argument warrants the same kind of response. That’s where godly discernment comes in.”
Listening does not necessarily mean validating. Not every argument warrants the same kind of response.
That’s where godly discernment comes in.
Sometimes, like the Bereans, we’ll find the other person is speaking the truth, and we must adjust our beliefs accordingly.
Sometimes, like Priscilla and Aquila in Acts 18, we’ll find the other person is genuine but doesn’t quite have it right — and we must take them aside to explain the way of God more accurately.
With open Bibles, participants in the Freed-Hardeman Bible Lectureship listen to Hiram Kemp speak on “Does Heavenly Music Dictate Earthly Worship?”
Sometimes, as Jude warns, we’ll find the other person is worldly minded, following after their own ungodly lusts, and we must snatch them out of the fire if possible — or have mercy with fear if not.
But even when we are right, hearing out alternative viewpoints helps us come to a better understanding of the truth.
It forces us to reexamine our positions in view of the Scriptures — to become better students of the Bible — to see whether these things are so.
It forces us to better develop our defenses and be more conscious of opposing views.
Related: Good preaching requires good listeners: Advice from the pew
After all, how can we successfully defeat an argument we don’t truly understand? But no matter the situation, the first step is always to listen.
And the second step is never to respond brashly or in anger but instead with consideration and love.
As James tells us, “Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” — Calvin Cockrell, for the Editorial Board
