By Jon Walker
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Matthew 16:21-22 (NIV)
As Jesus approached his final days on earth, he told the disciples he would soon suffer, and be killed – and then, he’d be raised to life on the third day.
But Peter wasn’t listening. Perhaps he thought he’d heard it before. Perhaps he thought anyone who thought differently from him simply couldn’t be correct. So, the apostle who was first to walk on water, now rushed to be the first to set Jesus straight.
The problem is Peter completely misunderstood the situation. If he’d been correct in his judgment, Jesus would never go to the cross and we would be chained to our sins forever.
That’s a hefty consequence for being slow to listen, which may be why James says we should, instead, be quick to listen – slow to speak, slow to anger – but fast at focusing on what someone else is trying to say to us. (James 1:19-21)
This means we quickly seek understanding his position or her circumstances; his fears or her anger. We rush, not to judgment, but to open-mindedness, as we seek the whole story and the whole of the facts. We seek first to understand, then to be understood (a phrased used to explain quick listening in the book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey).
Even now, Jesus says, “Listen and understand.” (Matthew 15:10, NIV)
What does this mean?
- Quickly listen to God - Open your ears to the voice of God. Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, our God, but we can hear him now, and he acts on behalf of those who listen and wait for him (suggested by Isaiah 64:4, NIV).
- Quickly listen to others - Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry ….” (James 1:19, NIV) Quick listening is a Jesus-trait, and it “speeds the cause of righteousness.” (Isaiah 16:5, NIV)
- Quickly seek to understand - Throughout the New Testament, Jesus concluded a parable with the phrase, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (ex. Luke 14:35, NIV) God gave us the ears so we could hear him, and hearing is the first step toward understanding.
If you’d like to receive these devotionals regularly, you can sign-up at www.gracecreates.com/subscribe/. Jon Walker writes from www.gracecreates.com. He is a Zondervan author, and the former writer/editor of the Purpose Driven Life On-Line Devotionals. This devotional is copyrighted 2008 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.