Listening Ears & Sacred Semantics
by: Newbie
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A few posts ago, a day after returning from my latest trip to New Orleans, I made a couple short comments about the importance of listening. Since then, I’ve received several other messages within conversations, books, and scripture that point back to the same thing…listing. And this idea of listening has implications, which affect all areas life from simple day-to-day relationships to complex restorative justice issues around the globe.
In all our good intentioned drive, desire, and busyness to see justice and redemption happen to victimized people we can overlook the most important needs of those we’re seeking to help. In his new book, Everything Must Change, Brian McLaren calls this “excessive confidence”. Excessive confidence is a good term to explain the faulty assumptions and irresponsible oversights that have wrecked havoc and tainted the reputation of the church. When I go into the inner city to serve a meal to the homeless or get on a plane to fly down to New Orleans to build a house, what is my posture? Do I, consciously or unconsciously see myself as someone in a position of power and superiority? I may not consciously see myself that way but when I don’t listen effectively I do create those destructive power dynamics.
Brian’s careful use of the term, excessive confidence, brings another layer of the conversation to my mind, which I’ll call sacred semantics. After careful listening, when we do choose to speak, what words do we use? For example, when we go downtown to serve a meal to homeless folks do we say “were doing this for the homeless?” Does it make a difference when I replace “for” with “amongst” or “with”? Careful consideration and simple tweaks to our words (semantics) can re-arrange the power dynamic. Christ, although, powerful, spent his time in powerlessness among the poor and marginalized. He became one of them. And he modeled appropriate questions and careful listening. He obliterated the power dynamic.
Check out the story of Jesus in healing the blind guy in Matthew 20: 29-34. The 2 blind men were trying to get his attention, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowd told the men to shut up as if Jesus was in a class above those guys, too important to associate with such needy people. And Jesus’ response was a simple question, “What do you want me to do for you?” I used to scratch my head at that response wondering why in the world if Jesus was God and God was Jesus would he ask that question. Now, I think I’m beginning to understand. Jesus was destroying the power dynamic. He didn’t assume to know what that man needed most. He approached him as a man as powerless as the blind man himself. He was amongst and with and modeled it through considerate presence, good questions, and careful words.
Approaching issues of justice means, like anything, taking a few swings and misses. But the good hitters go back to the dugout with a better understanding of what it will take to make contact at their next appearance at the plate. So, for those seeking to help restore broken relationships, neighborhoods, or cities, be prepared to go in with ears ready to listen.
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