by Lisa Jernigan
Recently I was sitting around a virtual “table” surrounded by an amazing group of people representing diversity in ethnicity, gender, faith, and age. Our times spent around this “table” has created special bonds of friendship and mutual respect. We come from various parts of the US and several countries. It is our commonality in Jesus that brings us together to this safe place to pray and engage in thoughtful dialogue. It is not about uniformity, it is about unity, and in that sacred space of unity and love we gather each week.
We drink deeply from a shared cup of understanding, love, and respect, sharing our feelings and our hearts. We listen to and learn from each other, praying for one another, our country, our churches, the world, Covid 19. Our souls grieve together over injustice, division, polarization, hatred, anger and the unrest we are experiencing in our world right now. Each week I leave the table with something new to ponder and pray about.
This week as I walked away I left thinking about the word “listening” and thinking more deeply about “what does it mean to truly follow Jesus and live His teachings in times like this”? Someone made the comment, “no one is listening anymore”, we are talking, and sometimes, screaming. We want to be heard – even when it is hurtful to others. We want to be validated in what we believe.
As I reflect on these two concepts, I am reminded of the days when Jesus walked this earth. In many ways, He lived in a climate much like our own: people living under yokes of oppression, power, and injustice; people wanting to do their own thing in their own way. Yet, it was in this setting He spoke profound words that changed the course of history and the world.
Are you Listening?
Jesus spoke life, peace, hope and love; not comfort, success, and power. He started a movement of love - radical love - the kind that says love your enemy, turn the other cheek and deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Me. His teachings were just as radical 2000 years ago as they are today. Many listened. Few listened, heard and followed.
In Mark 4:23 Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." There is a difference between having ears and having ears to hear. Whenever Jesus says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” He is calling for people to lean in -- in other words, “Listen up! Pay close attention!” What should we pay attention to? When asked what is the greatest commandment, Jesus narrowed it down to this:
“You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10:27) This answer that Jesus gives leads to questions we each need to be asking of ourselves, “Am I willing to follow this commandment of love wherever it leads? Am I paying attention?"
What does it mean to truly follow Jesus?
James 1:22-25 says, "Do what God’s teaching says; don’t just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves. Hearing God’s teaching and doing nothing is like looking at your face in the mirror and doing nothing about what you saw. You go away and immediately forget how bad you looked. But when you look into God’s perfect law that sets people free, pay attention to it. If you do what it says, you will have God’s blessing. Never just listen to his teaching and forget what you heard."
Amidst the chaos, confusion, Covid fatigue, politics and culture, there is one voice that speaks truth if we dare be still and listen to hear what Jesus is saying. He is calling us forward to follow Him and live as peacemakers in unity and love for and with each other. It is a big ask and it goes against culture. How much of Jesus do you want in your life and how far are you willing to go to follow Him? Over 2,000 years ago a small group of followers listened and obeyed and as a result they flipped the world upside down.
We read in the book of Acts, Chapter 2 that the early followers of Jesus met together regularly to pray and share meals and had everything in common. I can envision them sitting around tables in homes for hours, dialoguing, listening, encouraging one another, praising God and just doing life together. It says they shared what they had, sacrificing, even selling personal property so that no one was in need, As a result, people were drawn in and the number of Jesus followers grew daily. What a beautiful picture of the church being the church. This is our identity and calling.
Now is our moment, our time and opportunity to be agents of change, living as followers of Jesus through the transforming power of the Gospel to help usher in hope and a new way of living and loving. The world needs the church to step up and lead in the way of love. What do you need to do today to live as a sold-out follower of Jesus?
There is a song called, “Oh Blessed” by Stu Garrad that we play when we go to the Mount of the Beatitudes in Israel. We sit (possibly in the very same spot) where Jesus gave the greatest sermon of all time, The Sermon on the Mount, and we listen to the song, contemplating the message. It is always a highlight and one of the most impactful moments on the trip. I want to encourage you to carve out time for yourself to be still and listen to this song and allow the words to penetrate your heart and offer them up as a prayer to God.
Oh Blessed – Stu Garrard
May we walk this earth together in unity and love with all people from all nations. It is the way of Jesus.