This weekend, the big news was about Iran. The week started out with Iran and the United States meeting to negotiate Iran’s nuclear programs and tensions in the region. Despite spending hours each day, the talks went nowhere.
Both parties shared their requests and agendas to try to find a peaceful resolution. The United States wanted Iran’s nuclear program be suspended for good. But Iran was clear about their intentions not being for weapons. In the end, no compromise was made.
Unfortunately, the talks fell through, although both nations wanted to find a diplomatic solution:
- Talk about concerns
- Compromise where needed
- Listen to each other’s needs and wants
In life, a healthy conversation requires both participants listen to each other. Unfortunately, most people don’t know the difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is passive and simply acknowledges sound; listening is active and requires a response or action to what is heard.
When we listen, we act upon what we hear. God’s people are commanded to listen to God and follow His ways and commands, instead of the voices of this fallen world, including our own evil hearts (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, 11).
This should be even more evident during this season of Lent as God’s people are growing closer to Him. Shockingly, the United States decided to attack Iran and kill Iran’s supreme leader and other members of the leadership during this holy season.
Instead of listening to and following God’s ways, Pres. Trump and our military leaders decided to listen to their hearts and the voices of this world to take the lives of others created in the image of God. Again, I am a firm believer that the end does not justify the means.
God’s people are specifically commanded not to repay evil with evil or seek revenge (Deuteronomy 32:35, Proverbs 20:22, Romans 12:17-21). If we truly are God’s people, then we will listen to and obey His Word and commands (Proverbs 2:1-5, James 1:22).
What Is Listening
Listening is something we learn as we grow and mature, or at least we should. Listen is defined as, “To hear something with thoughtful attention: to give consideration to.” When we listen, we take action about what we hear.
Unfortunately, many people confuse hearing with listening and never take action. Disciples must listen to their rabbis and then use what they hear and learn. Children must listen to their parents and obey, or else they may get disciplined (Exodus 20:12, Proverbs 6:20).
The same principle applies to the children of God (Exodus 19:5, John 10:27, 1 John 2:3-6). God’s people must listen to God over everyone else, especially a political party.
That is why the Bible has a lot to say about listening and who God’s people must listen to (Acts 3:22-23, Hebrews 4:2:1 John 4:5-6). This fallen kingdom is full of chaos and voices that lead us away from God: our hearts, the world, and Satan.
Once we come to God, we can no longer listen to the evil voices that tempt us, we must listen to and obey God (Romans 12:2, 1 Corinthians 10: 13, James 4:7). When we hear God’s law or voice, we must obey them (Romans 2:13). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about listening to God and obeying Him.
Šāmaʿ
The prophet Moses tells us that in the beginning God spoke everything into existence, and His creation listened to His commands (Genesis 1:1-30). Even mankind listened to God and obeyed Him in the beginning (Genesis 1:28-30; 2 15-17).
That is a natural flow order; God speaks, and His creation listens. The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for listen is šāmaʿ, and it can also mean, “Obey, hearken, understand, sound, tell, or to perceive,” depending upon the context it is used in.
Israel, God’s people, we are commanded to listen to God only, and He will bless them (Exodus 23:22, Deuteronomy 28:1-2, Joshua 1:8, Psalm 81:13-14, Isaiah 1:19). Traditional Jews are taught and practice the Jewish Shema to remind them to love and listen to God only:
- Affirming monotheism
- Call to action
- Daily devotion
- Passing on tradition
- Ultimate commitment to God
In His basic teaching, Jesus taught His followers to follow the Jewish Shema (Matthew 22:35-40). He also taught His followers not to even listen to their own hearts by denying themselves daily (Matthew 16:24).
Our Lord taught His followers not to follow the ways of this world (Matthew 6:24, John 15:19) that is why our Rabbi emphasized doing what He tells us to do (Matthew 7:21, Luke 6:46, John 14:15).
He knew that His sheep would listen to and follow Him only (John 10:3-5; 14-27). He cautioned His followers to do what the Pharisees said, but not to do what they do (Matthew 23:1-7)
The Clintons
In other big news this week, the Clintons stood before the Republican-led oversight committee to testify about their relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Hillary Clinton stated that she spent six hours repeatedly telling the committee she didn’t know Jeffrey Epstein.
However, the committee didn’t like what they heard and apparently didn’t listen to what she was telling them. They either didn’t know how to listen or they were on a witch hunt and trying to find dirt on the Clintons.
The Clintons also demanded that President Trump and his wife stand before the committee since it is a public fact that they did know Jeffrey Epstein. The committee has yet to call the Trumps to testify before it.
Perhaps the conservative committee is afraid that if they do, they might not like what they hear or have to do with the testimony:
- Impeach
- Correct
- Follow the law
One of the most important things for conservative leaders to do is to listen to our laws and follow them. Aren’t we conservatives supposed to be the party of law and order?
It doesn’t matter what side of the political aisle we are on; as Americans, we are called to listen to our law, and as President Trump has said himself, “No one is above the law.”
Although President Trump ignored our Constitution and the War Powers Act to use military force to do his will. As God’s people, we must decide to whom we will šāmaʿ!
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In