The Art And Labor Of Listening
What Does It Mean To Listen To Jesus?
by Eric Elkin
“A voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son whom I dearly love. I am very pleased with him. Listen to him!””
What do you enjoy listening to, and how does it shape your life? Spotify has a "Friends Activity" feature that appears on the right side of the screen. It allows me to see what types of music my "friends" enjoy. Occasionally, I click a song someone else is listening to so I can expand my musical horizons. Then I find myself wondering what about the song do they enjoy? Is it the words, the rhythms, or does it capture a mood?
Music is a conversation we choose to pursue, and we have endless options. The modern age is not like the golden age of radio. Back then, a DJ determined the playlist. Today, thanks to technology, you are in control of what you want to hear, and when you want to hear it. While we cannot speak directly to the band, the songs speak to us. What kind of conversations do you have with your music?
Creating a music playlist is an art form. One needs to determine the purpose of the music. Is it for exercise or casual listening? Or, are you trying to capture a mood? Songs help us find the words to express our feelings of joy, love, and sadness. We listen to shape our experience of life.
Our ability to determine what we listen to is not limited to music. The wonderful world of podcasts grants us easy access to knowledge, laughter, and nonsense. You can choose the type of wisdom you want to hear or your niche form of entertainment. Thinking about what I choose to listen to made me think about the sounds I'm not given a choice to hear.
“Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid.”
In the morning, when I wake up, I hear the sound of trains and traffic. It reminds me, despite living in the woods, a world exists beyond the veil of trees. The world is full of a mechanical grind. You can hear the hum of a machine that never rests. The sound of it reminds me of my own daily grind. The sounds I do not choose can make me anxious.
There are sounds I am forced to hear based on my call as a pastor. These are the words of grievances. I listen to the list of complaints people have with Jesus, religion, the Church, and pastors. The pain in the words is difficult to hear. Sometimes, I walk away wondering why I gave my life to something which has caused such grief.
The art and labor of listening were on my mind this morning reading about the Transfiguration. Jesus, Peter, James, and John go up a mountain and encounter Moses, Elijah, and the voice of God. It is the voice of God that caught my attention. God says, "This is my Son whom I dearly love, listen to him."
What does it mean to listen to Jesus? I find most people listen to what others say for and about Jesus than what Jesus actually says. One of the things I enjoy is that I cannot control what Jesus says. If I could, I would change the words to fit my insecurities.
My music tells me about love. When I listen to Jesus, I find he tells me I am loved. He does not leave a grievance out there that is not forgiven. Then he says it over and over until I accept it. But I think the hope grounded in love is what I hear that is worth listening to. What do you hear when you listen to Jesus?
Click to read Matthew 17:1-9
Reflection Questions:
What do you enjoy listening to, and how does it shape your life?
What kind of conversations do you have with your music?
What does it mean to listen to Jesus?
What do you hear when you listen to Jesus?
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