They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?’ And they drove him out.” vs. 34
John 9:28-41
The man who had been blind wanted to share the insights derived from his life-changing experience with the Pharisees, but they refused to listen. More than that, they drove him from their presence, likely with insults and blows. Not having been schooled in the Law of Moses, in their eyes, he lacked the proper credentials. Oh how much we miss when we write off the testimony of those who we consider to be our inferiors! God pays no attention to degrees, education, or social standing when our teachers are chosen. The Holy Spirit blows into lives, and people have extraordinary experiences of the divine presence that they are glad to share, and because we disrespect their standing we close our ears and refuse to listen. More often than not we will quickly exit their presence. God’s greatest lessons never come to us when we are asserting our opinions or offering our experiences. It’s only as we listen that we learn–and often it’s hard to hear what we’re being taught, especially when it’s at odds with our own convictions and prejudices. This doesn’t mean that everything we hear is from God–there’s plenty of garbage being presented as truth out there, especially in this time of deliberate disinformation peddling. We need to pray daily for the gift of discernment! But the truth remains! The best way to learn is through indiscriminate listening!
Thought for the Day: My most unlikely teacher?
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