Got Ears?

Are you a good listener? Do you make a conscious effort to understand people with whom you interact? How about those with whom you find yourself in disagreement?

I have noticed that there are some folks who are so eager to prove their points that they will not wait until the other party has finished speaking. They lack a very important quality of a good leader or moderator; that of listening.

Listening requires more than simply hearing the words of the other person. It involves trying to understand where they are coming from, what motivates their words and attitudes, and what pressures may be causing them to act in the manner they do.

Do you hear what I'm saying?

Are You In The Light?

"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

John 3:19-21

Many people who reject the truth about God and the Bible try to make their argument an intellectual one. They "claim" there is not enough proof about the existence of God and therefore He is probably just a myth. This rationale seeks to find it's support in man made theories posing as science. They love to point out how science and the Bible are inconsistent and therefore one must be wrong. Of course science has been proving the Bible more and more over the last few hundred years.

No. The real reason men will not come to the light of God's word is because of their evil deeds. They love their sin too much and are afraid of coming out of the shadows where they can be exposed.

I have seen the same issues in Christians as well. They come to Christ and repent of their wicked ways. They know sin is wrong and therefore try to live a godly life, avoiding the external sins. Often however, this attitude is only skin deep. They have not made a full consecration in their heart. The desires of the flesh still long to be expressed and many find "acceptable" ways in which to satisfy these cravings.

Let me ask you. Are there deeds in your life that you rise up and defend when they are threatened? Do you tend to cry legalism whenever one of your beloved activities is mentioned as questionable? Are you willing to bring every thought and deed to the light in order to see if they have been done in God?