Scripture: Matthew 11:15

Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Thought for the Day: When we hear and listen to the still, small voice of God, we are tasked to walk a different path. This puts us at odds with the rest of the world, every time. Earlier in this passage Jesus spoke of John the Baptist, whom the world rejected because he refused to sing and dance to their materialistic songs. Hermits don’t do well in public places, after all.

Yet, Jesus has also been rejected, only this time for being a little too friendly with the ways of the world. People didn’t approve of Jesus’ gallivanting about with prostitutes and tax collectors. In both cases, the larger society didn’t bother to learn anything about John the Baptist or Jesus. They are judged purely from a distance, based on appearances. The world is very good at judging appearances.

When we hear and actually listen to God, our actions are different. So there will always be people who think we’re too this or not enough that. Religious people will make up rules and regulations and claim we’re not religious enough because we enjoy a glass of wine or a dance now and then. They and the secular world will reject us because we feel called to serve on the edges of society where Jesus served. They’ll point fingers at us as we drive a prostitute to pick up pampers for her baby, or give a junkie a loving embrace to let him know he’s not alone in this cruel, judgmental world.

The secular world will reject us because we do our best to uphold God’s values of justice and equality for all, protesting against the corrupt power elite ruining our governments and corporations, driving the world deeper into economic and political collapse as they clutch greedily at their billions of dollars—dollars made at the expense of we, the people.

Our calling as people who listen for and hear God is to ignore the finger pointers. We are to care for the poor and wretched. We are to fight for economic justice by protesting unfair wage and labor systems. We are to love our enemies, even as they hurl bombs in our direction. We are to take a cue from John the Baptist and disengage from the ways of the world, but also remember Jesus, and stay in the world enough to loudly proclaim God’s new way.

Prayer: Shut my mouth and still my angry hands, good and loving Lord! Interrupt our noisy, hateful clamor and caress us with the voice of peace, understanding, love and hope, so that we might find the courage to be Your voice in this too wretched world. Amen.