Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday February 3, 2010

When I was a twenty year old near man I was as they say "called" into the service of the Lord. Considering a number of things this was a shock to the small town. Up to that point I was anything but clerical in temperament or reputation. Quite the opposite. But as the Lord would have it, I have been less than the ideal servant, but a servant nonetheless.

One of the most frustrating things in the preaching ministry is the simple fact that most of us who claim to communicate the wonders of the Creator to His unwashed and unlearned children is the fact that we do not factor in the truth that they do not listen. Thus we feel, for the most part, that we, the clergy person orators after the Ancient Order of Demosthenes, have failed. Or we do the unforgivable by attributing idiocy to our hearers rather than deal with a truth graphically stated by George Bernard Shaw.

"The problem with communication is the illusion that it has occurred."

The "illusion" that it has occurred. Wow.

You would think that anyone with children would understand that people of all ages can and do look you right in the eye, nod their head and do NOT hear a word you say. Oh, the noise rattles the sound receptors in their ears, but the meaning does not as the Bible says, "sink down" into the mind and heart.

Prior to His crucifixion Jesus said to his disciples in Luke 9:44:

"Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men."

These words were hardly passed his lips when the disciples began arguing about who would be the greatest. The fact that he told them He was going to die failed to register.

Some years ago I took a course on effective listening and my ability to "let sayings sink down into my ears" took a marked turn for the better. I now need to find a course on how to hammer truth into the Iron Ears of my congregants.

I do know that when God wants to really make a point He has been known to whisper. I many give this a try as I tend to be more like Chief Mighty Thunder. No rain, but a lot of noise.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit.

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