"My Son, If Thou Wilt Receive My Words"

When I'm facing issues with my kids, (which happens to be ridiculously often.... times five) without fail I've found that the Lord isn't so much trying to teach them something, as He is trying to get it through my head.

Don't you just love it when things come full circle? :)

We have been going round and round with the kids lately to keep them on task. I find myself repeating myself often, not because they aren't doing what I asked, but because they are not paying attention.

We've been trying to explain to them the difference between hearing and listening. Although I'm pretty sure my kids hear me fine, most of the time I highly doubt that they are listening to what I'm saying. I can tell by the looks on their faces that to them what I'm saying is like the Peanuts comics "Wa wah, wa wa wah, wa wa wa wa wah."

"Knock, knock, is anybody home? Hello?"

A prime example of this hearing/listening concept is demonstrated by how most people "receive" the word of God. I've been guilty of reading the words, but getting up, and going about my business as if I never had. I might as well have not wasted my time. I wasn't listening.

Josh had just about had it with the kids last night when they were supposed to be cleaning up after dinner. Mid-task, he sat them all down and read Proverbs 2:1 "My Son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee: So shalt thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply tine heart to understanding."

He talked about the difference between receiving and rejecting some one's words. All throughout our lives we are constantly making judgment calls on whether to receive or reject what others are saying to us. When we receive something, we are reaching out our arms and bringing it in toward our heart. When we reject something we're pushing it far away from ourselves.

Josh used an illustration to bring his point home. He said that our children's hearts are like sponges. They were made to absorb what Mommy and Daddy teach them. But they have a free will to receive or reject what we teach. He got a soft, pliable towel to represent Dillon's heart and a hard ceramic plate to represent Alia's (figuratively, of course). He took a cup of water (a symbol of the Word of God) and poured it onto the towel. When he opened it, you could clearly see that the water was now on the inside. He turned the plate upside down, and poured the water onto it. When he lifted it up, the inside was dry; empty. The water had run off, a complete waste.

Those two scenarios are a picture of every person's heart.

It's not easy to receive correction and if we don't learn to receive it well when we're young, it's not going to be any easier to handle when we are older. No one likes to be told that they are wrong. Especially adults. We think we are intelligent, upstanding people; who does anybody else think they are to tell us that we're wrong? We reason their rebuke away by surmising that "they just don't understand the extenuating circumstances." Rebuke is a tough pill to swallow, but it's necessary when you love someone.

Love is always doing what is best for the other person.

I find it funny how people so readily mix up the truth with hate. When you tell a ho*mo*se*xu*al that they are living in sin, for the sake of their soul, it is to many people considered a "hate crime." Hate isn't the problem, the fact that sometimes the truth hurts, is.

I'm the type of person who is loathe to have anybody displeased with me. I've learned that, in spite of my best efforts, I can't please everybody. (lol) But I still find myself ill prepared to handle reproof when it comes. The Bible talks a lot about the person who "being often reproved hardeneth his neck." I'm not often reproved per Se, but I still find myself hardening my neck when it does come my way.

If I instead choose to receive the reproof/rebuke I am actively taking the higher road and learning life's lessons easier and faster than I would if God had to take me through trials and tribulations to teach me that same truth. I can't escape God's correction. He loves me so much and promises that He will correct His own. When I hide what I receive in my heart, and ponder it as Mary did, no one can take the faith, wisdom, or understanding that I glean away from me. I often ask God for wisdom and understanding; pretty much everyday. But in my heart, I can hear the Lord asking me, "How badly do you want it? Enough to search for it as for hid treasure? Are you willing to apply your heart to finding it? It isn't going to happen by accident."

The answer always comes back to my gut-wrenching desire to be "far above rubies," and "in the sight of God of great price."

"Whatever it takes, Lord. I know you love me, and I trust you, so, whatever it takes."