My wife sometimes accuses me of repeating the words she has said, but doing so with a twist. Sometimes it is by putting inflection or punctuation in a different place, or using her exact words, but in a different order. This has become a source of humor for us rather than a serious issue as my twisting around is only done in fun. Recently I came up with a word for this kind of listening by telling her I was an “interpretive listener”. I will define that as the act of listening and then interpreting what was said to mean what I prefer.
Though this is a source of humor between my wife and I, it is a horrible manner of approaching what God has said. Are we listening for what we want or accepting of the truth we need? Are listening for our preferences or truly desiring the greater blessings His Sovereign Will can provide?
When God provided the garden as the place for Adam and Eve to live, He did so with some rules regarding their life there. He made it clear from what could be eaten and that of which they were to abstain. (Genesis 2:15-17) However, when the serpent spoke to Eve, consider the approach where we read. . .
“(1) Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”” (Genesis 3:1 ESV)
The approach here led to the questioning of what God had said. That is still a tool of the devil — a tactic of deception — used today. Many have been led away from accepting the wisdom of God to questioning it and rephrasing it to mean what God did not intend. Even Israel had been led to do things that had never come into God’s mind. (i.e. Jeremiah 7:31)
From questioning and rephrasing the movement can smoothly goes to surrounding oneself with those who would teach what one wants to hear to suit one’s own passions. (2 Timothy 4:3) In his letter to Christians at Galatia Paul noted those who wanted to distort the gospel of Christ. (Galatians 1:7) And Peter also noted there were those who were distorting or twisting some things Paul had written as well as the other Scriptures. (2 Peter 3:15-16) With such occurring during the first century of the church it should not surprise us as happening even today.
As Peter reflected back on the scene when Moses and Elijah had appeared with Jesus on the mountain (2 Peter 1:17-18) when the voice from Heaven stated “listen to him” with regard to Jesus (Matthew 17:5), Peter went on to exhort. . .
“(19) And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, (20) knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. (21) For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:19-21 ESV)
What kind of listener are we when it comes to God’s Word? May it not be with my “interpretive” listening but rather listening in the attentive sense of accepting what God has declared!
Have a great day PREFERRING TO TAKE GOD AT HIS WORD!
Carl
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