Another One Bites the Dust!

Read: Proverbs 20:5; Proverbs 18:2; Proverbs 18:13; Proverbs 12:18

It is kind of fun sometimes to discover the origin of idioms. Sayings like, "he is not worth his salt", for example. The phrase was used to describe someone whose work wasn't worth the salary he received. In earlier times, workers were often paid with salt which was a precious commodity. Another example. Where did the idiomatic expression "a penny for your thoughts" originate, and how long will it be with us? The earliest use of the phrase occurred in the writing of Sir Thomas More. Back in the 1400s when he lived, a penny was worth much more than it currently is. The words were a gentle way of showing interest in what the other person might say and not the beginning of a monetary transaction. I wonder what we might say in a few years when pennies, which are no longer being made because it costs more to make them than what they are worth, become obsolete? A nickel for your thoughts??

I'm afraid that the saying will "bite the Dust" not because a coin is no longer in circulation but because the desire to learn what is on the hearts of others and the desire to truly listen seems to be fading away faster than the old pennies. The good news is that we who love Jesus can still practice this waning art, and the Book of Proverbs has many helpful directions for us!

1. Proverbs 20:5 Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out.

What a reminder that there are things we might learn when we listen with a desire to learn what might lie just under the surface of someone's heart. Things that can only be drawn out through patient listening and the reliance upon the Holy Spirit for His wisdom.

Sometimes, buried under sarcastic words there is a hidden hurt that when discovered can be a first step toward understanding and change in a relationship.

2. Proverbs 18:2; Proverbs 18:13. Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.

These two zingers from Proverbs are like twins. Reminding us that we must not talk before we listen or care so much about how we will present our side of the conversation that we don't listen with our hearts. Both of these verses don't hesitate to point out the foolishness we so easily display when we concentrate on our own words without demonstrating that we care about the other person's point of view. Sadly, we see this kind of foolishness everywhere. A lack of listening that springs from a lack of biblical love. The desire to win the argument without dealing with the other person with winsomeness.

3. Proverbs 12:18. Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.

Oh, the danger of word slinging. Thoughtless and careless words that land everywhere with no thought of the damage they might do. Yet, how different are the healing words. The kind that come when listening opens the door for them to be spoken. They are a balm to the one for whom they are meant.

This week, Landen Roupp, starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, demonstrated what it looks like to listen well to all that is around him and then to speak the truth in love. To care about the people with whom he disagrees enough to boldly and graciously speak the truth. On Pride Night, he wrote Genesis 9:12-16 alongside the rainbow on his hat. This is why he chose to speak out the way he did: Roupp explained what the passage means to him in his postgame presser. "It's just about God's covenant and a promise that he makes to us that, you know, his faithfulness and his mercy," Roupp told reporters. "That's just kind of something I believe in, and I stand firm in that, and I'm thankful we live in a country where, you know, we have the freedom to believe what we want ... and express what we want." The third-year pitcher from North Carolina confirmed he hadn't inscribed the same verse at other times in the past, before disclosing why it was important for him to have it on his cap on Friday. "Kind of what the verse says, you know, the rainbow is a symbol of God's covenant to us, and us as believers to stand firm in that. ... There's no hate at all. It's just what I stand for and what I stand in. I believe in God, and that's me." Roupp then was asked how he'd respond if someone from the LGBTQ+ community took exception to his inscription of the Bible verse on Pride Night. "First of all, as a believer, I would push them to read the Bible," Roupp stated. "I think God has blessed me in so many ways, and I don't think I would be here right now if it wasn't for him. So, like I said, there's no hate in it at all, you know, like I said, we live in a country where you're welcome to believe what you want. There's a freedom of speech and stuff like that, so that's really all I have to say about that. I'm just thankful that God has put me in this situation and that I can go out and share his kingdom."

What a joy it is to see a well-known athlete who longs not to win merely an argument but to work for God's Kingdom. Lord, please help us to listen well so that we can speak with winsome boldness rather than react in a foolish way.