I've been thinking about this passage of Job quite a bit recently. From my own journey, to those close to me who go through really tough times. Sometimes our words do "belong to the wind", because we speak from our pain. More difficult to deal with however, is the feeling that our words fall on deaf ears and we become less human for a moment."Confront me with the truth and I'll shut up,
Job 6:25-27 The Message
show me where I've gone off the track.
Honest words never hurt anyone,
but what's the point of all this pious bluster?
You pretend to tell me what's wrong with my life,
but treat my words of anguish as so much hot air.
Are people mere things to you?
Are friends just items of profit and loss?
I am thankful that Jesus hears me whenever I cry out, he hears my groans as clear expressions of a heavy heart. Yes, he does hear and I know that with certainty. But, if I'm fully honest with myself, I still need a person to look into my eyes as they listen to me, and to acknowledge my feelings. Then my humanity is restored and I can journey on and give myself to others in that same kind of 'human listening'.
1 comment:
Many will dismiss talk of feelings as unimportant. Yet we are all motivated by feelings; and our feelings are aroused, hurt and affected almost continually. What's more, scripture is filled with teaching about myriad feelings - anger, lust, patience, etc.
Speaking hope into people seems to be a practice that goes to the core of one's being. And as such, it has the potential to be one of the most powerful ways to relate to one another in community.
Thanks, Neil.
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