HE stopped and listened to her…

JESUS CHRIST was absolutely the best in showing honor and love to other people. HE did it by the things that HE would do for them and with them and the words HE would speak into their lives. there’s a little snippet of scripture in luke 7. it’s a slice of life right from the ministry of CHRIST. this is a great story.

luke 7.36-41 (nlt) says, one of the pharisees asked JESUS to come to HIS home for a meal, so JESUS accepted the invitation and sat down to eat. a certain immoral woman heard HE was there and brought a beautiful jar filled with expensive perfume. then she knelt behind HIM at HIS feet, weeping. her tears fell on HIS feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. then she kept kissing HIS feet and putting perfume on them. when the pharisee who was the host saw what was happening and who the woman was, he said to himself, “this proves that JESUS is no prophet. if GOD had really sent HIM, HE would know what kind of woman is touching HIM. she’s a sinner.” JESUS spoke up and answered the pharisee’s thoughts…

there is one invisible sign of respect that is hanging around everybody’s neck. it says stop. we recognize the sign. but when it’s hanging around a person’s neck, it means, “stop talking and listen.”

this story shows what a wonderful listener JESUS was. HE especially listened to this woman. and you can read the story and see that HE listened to simon the pharisee, too. as a matter of fact, HE listened so well to simon the pharisee, the bible says that HE read his thoughts. this was the SON of GOD, and HE was paying good attention to even what simon was thinking. but HE especially listened to this woman.

now the women in this story never said a word but wouldn’t you agree with me that this woman was saying something to JESUS? wouldn’t you agree with me that listening goes way beyond just hearing the words that another person says? it’s seeing what’s in their eyes. it’s feeling what’s in their heart. it’s reading between the lines. it’s listening in the moments of silence. this woman was speaking. she was speaking loudly in her tears and in her service to CHRIST and in the washing of HIS feet and the kissing of HIS feet. she had a message, and JESUS, it seems, was the only one who heard it. HE was the only one listening to her.

some time later in the bible, the apostle paul was writing to the corinthian CHRISTians in 2 corinthians 7.15 (nlt) and he tells about a friend of his who had visited their church. paul says, titus remembers the way you listened to him and welcomed him with such respect and deep concern. why did titus feel respected? because of the way they welcomed him and because of the way they listened to him.

are you a good listener? would people around you say you really are a good listener? do people feel like you’re fully present with them whenever they’re with you? or is there anybody in your world who might just be whispering under their breath, “would you please stop talking? would you please stop advising? stop rambling. stop pontificating. stop hyping! stop hogging the verbal spotlight. would you just stop and listen?”

just a thought from the front porch…