“To whom should I speak and give this warning? Who will listen to what I say? Their ears are closed; they cannot hear. They’re deaf to anything about God. The Eternal’s word is offensive to them. They take no delight in it.” (Jeremiah 6:10, The Voice)
Those are some rough words anytime, but especially in something called a “morning cup of encouragement.” But if you read (and remember) yesterday’s post, you might recall that “encouragement” is not necessarily something that makes one feel good, but something that “infuses courage” for the journey.
Our journey today will bring us into contact with those who are “deaf to anything about God.” It is not just that they are ignorant (uninformed); they are actually offended by what God’s word teaches. And if they find out that we are Christ-followers, they will make some assumptions about us and what we believe (assumptions which will likely be far from accurate).
So, how do we handle those encounters?
First of all, make sure that we are not the ones who turn a deaf ear to God and His word. To do that, we need to be a part of that encouraging and strengthening community that I referenced yesterday.
Second, make sure that we are not offensive in our interaction. My own approach is this: If God’s truth, spoken in love, is offensive to someone, that is their problem. If I am offensive in the way I deliver God’s truth, that is my problem. There are people who believe that all Bible believing Christians are bigoted, judgmental haters because those are the kinds of Christians they have encountered. We need to be firm in our knowledge of the truth and be willing to dialogue respectfully and graciously with those who differ with us.
Third, make sure that our lives are consistent with our words. All this is easy for me as I sit at my computer typing this morning. The proof will be how I interact with real people today.
Question: What other suggestions do you have for living as a Christ-follower in an increasingly “deaf to God” culture?
Leave a comment below. I’d love to learn from you, and your perspective will benefit our growing community.
