Isaiah 50:4-9

Lent 6 - Year B

Isaiah 50:4-9

The gift of deep, attentive, appreciative listening is critical to clarify the issues in one’s life and the life of a larger community. Listening is the backbone of being a teacher and leads to new learning, important learning, prophetic learning.

It is important to note what one is listening to as well as how one is listening. What combination of listening to the wisdom of ages gone before, dreaming of days to come, and their transition through the present will best serve?

There will be times when appeal needs to be made to an historical perspective. At other times we will over-ride well-settled precedent that no longer carries energy for new relationships and opt for a wide-eyed dream of a better or more expansive community. And there will be times when all we can do is hold to listening as best we can as we wait for a better question to hear a new word of the past or future to come clear.

This will, though, require us to stand in the midst of opposing teachings without claiming special privilege of having some god on our side. With a waking ear we can wait with others to learn without falling prey to bad-mouthing them or arbitrarily setting them aside as being of no account.

With this kind of listening we will likely hear what needs to be relinquished and what needs to be picked up. Blessings on intentionally practicing your listening skills.