WEBVTT

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 Father, most of us think that we're really good at listening,

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 and most of us think that we're really good at listening to you.

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 And Father, you know that we delude ourselves and fool ourselves,

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 and we are unaware of it.

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 So Father, we ask that you would be very kind and gracious to me

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 and to each one who is here today,

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 and that you would gently but deeply pour out your Holy Spirit upon us.

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 And Father, you would help us to listen to your word

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 and learn to listen to other people as well.

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 And Father, all of this we ask in the name of Jesus, your Son, and our Savior. Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 So I don't know how many of you listen as I pray,

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 and maybe I said something which was a little bit offensive,

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 but I don't think there's been a statistic about this.

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 But would any of us be surprised?

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 Would any of us be surprised if they did a very, very good opinion poll in Canada

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 and asked people if they were like terrible listeners,

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 below average listeners, average listeners, above average listeners,

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 or excellent listeners?

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 Would any of us be surprised if they did such a survey like that?

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 And maybe some of you will tell me afterwards that they did.

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 Would anybody here be surprised if the survey found

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 that 80% of Canadians thought they were either above average or excellent listeners?

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 I mean, I don't think any of us would be surprised with that, would we?

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 And of course, statistically, that's probably not the case,

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 that 80% of us could be above average.

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 That, you know, most of us would be average, right?

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 In fact, I know that we're all, and I'm not going to ask you to do this,

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 and now that I'm sitting on the stage, we'd all be very polite about it and modest.

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 But my guess is that most of us here think that we're one of the best listeners in the congregation.

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 And some of you are thinking to yourself,

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 that person thinks they're a better listener than me?

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 Are they smoking dope or something like that?

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 But most of us probably think that we're amongst the best listeners in the congregation.

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 And my guess as well is this, that just about every single person in the room,

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 and it depends on your context,

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 but my guess is that just about every single person here in the room

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 thinks that, you know, whether it's something at work

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 or something with your boyfriend or girlfriend or your spouse or your family,

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 that situation would be better if they listened to you more.

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 That's probably what most of us think,

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 that if at work they just listened to me more,

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 things would go better.

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 If my wife would just listen to me more,

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 things would go better.

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 If my dad, if my kids, if, you know,

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 that probably just about every single one of us here thinks that.

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 And so, see, here's the problem.

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 So, okay, yeah, you're going to do a sermon on listening.

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 Oh, yeah, yeah, I got that covered.

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 Why do we think that's covered?

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 Why do we think that's boring?

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 Why?

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 Because we're probably part of the 80% or 90% of Canadians

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 who think they're above average in listening.

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 Therefore, they don't have to listen to more information about how to listen.

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 Because we already got that covered.

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 But if you sort of acknowledge that one moment,

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 if 80, 90% of the people, like these people around me,

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 they actually think they listen better than me?

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 And the shocking thing is they're saying that about you, okay?

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 The person around you is saying they think that they listen better than you listen.

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 And if that's the case, then maybe we have a bit of a problem with listening.

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 And so maybe we need to listen to some wisdom from the Bible about listening.

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 So this is going to be a day where we're going to say the scripture as well

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 because saying it will help us to listen.

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 So, Andrew, if you could put up the first text.

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 We're going to say it together in a moment.

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 Or you can read it off the screen or you can find it on your little insert.

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 And I'm not going through the insert in the order that they're written,

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 but sort of in a bit of a logical or rhetorical order.

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 So if you could just, and I'm going to be asking you to say it with me.

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 So if you could just say this with me, that would be great.

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 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

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 And we don't have to say Proverbs 18, 15.

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 Let's say it again.

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 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

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 Now, I started, I thought I'd start with a proverb that's sort of simple.

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 In fact, it would be one of those examples of a proverb that we'd almost not even want to try to remember

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 because, you know, I got listening down pat, right?

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 I'm part of the 90% of Canadians who's above average or excellent at listening.

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 So I don't have to listen to advice on listening.

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 And so I thought I'd start with a proverb that sort of is almost like,

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 how are we going to get into any type of a debate?

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 Although in a second, I'm going to say something that maybe,

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 I think this proverb tells us something that will maybe bother most of us in the room.

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 But before that, I'm not one of these Canadians who doesn't believe that IQ tests measure anything.

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 And I'm not one of the Canadians who think that IQ tests only measure how well you do at IQ tests.

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 I just think it's a common sense notion that some people are smarter than others.

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 And some people are just really good at, you know, figuring out logical type of problems very, very quickly.

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 And some are just better than others.

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 So the first thing you want to notice about this proverb,

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 when it says that an intelligent heart acquires knowledge and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge,

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 it's not saying that people with high IQs acquire knowledge.

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 And the ears of the wise, in other words, people with high IQs seek knowledge.

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 It's not saying that at all.

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 In fact, the proverb would be quite comfortable with the statement,

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 you know the problem with that person?

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 They're really, really intelligent and they're really dumb.

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 Or they're really, really intelligent or they're stupid.

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 Or they're really intelligent and they're dumb in the way that only really intelligent people can be dumb.

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 And the proverb would say, yeah, yeah, that, like that, the writer of the proverb would say,

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 yeah, that's a common sense thing.

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 So it's not talking about IQ.

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 And it's interesting that it uses the word heart rather than mind.

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 And the fact that it uses heart rather than mind is significant

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 because it's reminding us that at the heart, which is sort of deeper than the mind,

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 that's the control or the command center, it's not referring to the seat of the emotions.

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 It's referring to, in most of the Bible, when you see the word heart,

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 I've said this before, think of where Captain Kirk sits in Star Trek.

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 And that's what the heart is referring to.

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 It's referring to, in a sense, the command center of the good ship George

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 or the good ship Andrew or the good ship, you know, the good ship Louise.

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 It's referring to the command center, sort of deeper than the mind and higher than the mind.

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 And it's referring to something that deals with both relational knowledge,

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 practical knowledge, experiential knowledge,

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 and obviously as well the ability to do conceptual knowledge.

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 And it's referring to that part of us as being intelligent.

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 And what characterizes that part of us being intelligent is that we seek to acquire knowledge.

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 And we seek to acquire knowledge through hearing, in particular.

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 And so there's just several things in this that are a bit surprising.

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 The first thing here is that the common misconception about Christians,

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 and a very common belief amongst Christians, is that Christians shouldn't want to know more.

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 I mean, we've got the answer here in the Bible.

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 But this proverb says, is basically saying that Christians should always want to know more.

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 That that's a Christian idea.

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 You see, it's one of the reasons why science developed in a Christian context.

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 I'm going to talk about this more in a little bit.

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 But there's this fundamental idea that if this proverb is true, an intelligent heart acquires knowledge,

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 and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

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 It's telling those of us who are Christ followers that we should desire to always know more.

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 That when we're 80, when we're 85, when we're 90, that we should still have a desire to know more.

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 The second thing, and this is a whole other sermon topic,

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 is that if you read the Gospels, it's very clear that Jesus asks questions.

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 I mean, part of the mystery of the Gospels is that if Jesus never asked questions,

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 he wouldn't really be a human being, would he?

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 Because human beings ask questions.

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 It's obvious, if you look at all the different texts together,

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 that what happens in Jesus' case is that when God the Father wants God the Son to know something

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 that he couldn't know by normal human means,

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 then God the Father gives it to Jesus.

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 But apart from that, and Jesus would just have to trust that when the Father's going to give that type of knowledge

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 and when he won't, the rest of the time Jesus would have to...

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 Jesus probably had to ask directions sometimes when he was going from village to village.

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 He had to ask people their name.

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 And he probably had to ask his dad,

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 how is it that you fit this piece of wood to that piece of wood?

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 And if he didn't, then he wouldn't have been a human being.

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 But here's the thing.

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 Remember that the proverb is,

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 an intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

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 And note this, it doesn't say the eye of the wise, it says the ear of the wise.

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 Does this maybe imply that we should stop watching news on television?

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 I think it does.

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 I think it maybe implies that we shouldn't be watching news.

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 Because in fact, it's a very consistent theme all the way through the Bible

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 that the ear has a special place in acquiring knowledge and wisdom,

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 and that in fact, often the eyes mislead us.

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 And it's far easier to manipulate us with an image than it is with the ear.

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 So maybe one of the takeaways from this is that those of you who watch the news

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 should maybe stop watching the news.

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 I told you that when you actually look at these proverbs,

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 even the ones that seem very simple can all of a sudden be fairly surprising.

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 That maybe, maybe we shouldn't watch the news.

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 The next proverb, now we're going to start to get from these simple ones,

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 to start to get more into the problem of listening,

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 is this next proverb is going to say that basically every commencement address

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 that you've ever heard gives you absolutely terrible advice

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 that goes against the Bible.

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 I mean, most of us don't think that we're in a commencement address,

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 probably even at Christian colleges,

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 that they're saying things that the Bible says are very foolish.

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 And maybe you're not going to agree with the proverb,

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 but that's what the proverb says.

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 Andrew, if you could put up the next proverb,

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 which is Proverbs 12, 15.

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 Could you say it with me?

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 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

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 but a wise man listens to advice.

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 Let's say it again.

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 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

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 but a wise man listens to advice.

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 What's one of the main things that they always say at every commencement address?

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 Follow your heart.

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 Follow your heart.

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 Do what is, follow your dream.

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 Stay on the path of your dream.

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 Don't let people put you down or take you away from your path.

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 Follow your path.

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 Follow your heart.

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 Follow your dream.

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 And the book of Proverbs says,

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 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

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 but a wise man listens to advice.

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 Bit of a shock, eh?

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 It's a bit of a shock.

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 Obviously, these things have to be nuanced,

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 but it's hard to believe that this proverb would say that most...

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 And by the way, I'm a bit of a minor expert on commencement addresses.

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 Maybe not as much of those of you who are teachers,

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 but I have now had eight children graduate from high school,

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 six graduate from university,

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 and several graduate from university with several degrees or certificates.

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 I've heard lots of commencement addresses.

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 I think they always say it during the...

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 There must be a web page,

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 things you have to say in a commencement address,

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 and then they go up and read it.

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 But here's another thing.

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 Do you think that these proverbs are written

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 so that I can feel superior to you?

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 You're going,

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 One moment, George.

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 Did you just say there's a proverb here that was written

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 so that you could feel superior to me?

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 George, there can't possibly be a proverb

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 that would allow you to feel superior to me.

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 Well, I agree with you,

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 but let's read the proverb.

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 If you could put up the next one, Andrew.

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 Proverbs 13.10.

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 Proverbs 13.10, you want to say it with me?

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 By insolence comes nothing but strife,

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 but with those who take advice is wisdom.

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 Let's say it together again.

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 By insolence comes nothing but strife,

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 but with those who take advice is wisdom.

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 Now, what do you mean, George,

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 by saying that this proverb is telling you

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 that you can be superior to others?

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 Well, I've just put it in a shocking form.

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 But you see, the problem is

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 is that we're going to come to a lot of these types of proverbs,

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 and the problem is that we're going to take this proverb

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 and say, wow, Proverbs 13.10,

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 by insolence comes nothing but strife,

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 but with those who take advice is wisdom.

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 I wish my boss would read that.

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 I wish my wife would read this.

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 I wish my kid would read this.

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 I wish my pastor would read this.

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 One moment, you're reading this to think you're superior to me?

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 I'm reading it to think I'm superior to you.

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 What happens if two people are both wishing the other person read this proverb?

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 How do you think those conversations go?

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 How do you think it goes if I'm reading this proverb thinking,

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 wow, I wish Louise would read this.

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 We'd have far better conversations.

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 And if Louise is reading it saying,

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 boy, I wish George would take this to heart,

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 we'd have far better conversations.

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 We're both reading it in a way that makes us feel superior to the other person.

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 In other words, we're reading it in an arrogant and proud way

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 that does not respect the other,

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 which is what insolence is.

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 We're both reading it in a proud way

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 that does not respect the other.

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 And when that happens, there's strife.

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 It's when happens, there's strife.

00:14:57.600 --> 00:15:00.820
 And the thing about this is, by the way,

00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:06.320
 no Christian should read this saying

00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:10.340
 that this only applies to Muslims or atheists or feminists or gays

00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:15.820
 or NDPers or people who are actually going to vote for Harper.

00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:18.040
 You pick your outside group.

00:15:20.759 --> 00:15:22.120
 I mean, the fact is this does apply.

00:15:22.180 --> 00:15:23.500
 This does apply to feminists.

00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:24.740
 It applies to women's shelters.

00:15:24.740 --> 00:15:27.600
 It applies to gay collectives.

00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:28.740
 It applies to university faculties.

00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:31.039
 It applies in business.

00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:31.740
 It applies in bureaucracies.

00:15:32.659 --> 00:15:37.019
 It applies in gospel halls, in Roman Catholic cathedrals,

00:15:37.259 --> 00:15:40.980
 in Eastern Orthodox places, in evangelical places.

00:15:41.100 --> 00:15:42.180
 It's a human problem.

00:15:42.620 --> 00:15:43.440
 Isn't it a human problem?

00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:45.700
 It's a human problem.

00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:48.419
 And just because you've asked Jesus into your life

00:15:48.419 --> 00:15:49.639
 to be your Savior and Lord

00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:53.019
 doesn't mean that you don't have a problem with insolence.

00:15:53.019 --> 00:15:55.139
 It doesn't mean that I don't have a problem with insolence.

00:15:57.539 --> 00:15:59.939
 The scripture, if we read it carefully,

00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:03.360
 is inviting us not to look at how it applies to others

00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:04.759
 but how it applies to myself.

00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:07.779
 How much of the strife in my life

00:16:07.779 --> 00:16:09.740
 is caused because I think

00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:12.679
 I listen better and know better,

00:16:13.139 --> 00:16:15.000
 way better than the other person?

00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:19.220
 How much of it's going on?

00:16:24.500 --> 00:16:27.000
 Here's, in fact, another very...

00:16:29.740 --> 00:16:32.559
 You know, when I told my wife last night,

00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:35.440
 she has good reason for this reaction.

00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:36.940
 When I told my wife last night

00:16:36.940 --> 00:16:38.580
 that I was going to do a sermon on listening,

00:16:38.580 --> 00:16:41.660
 I was looking at her face

00:16:41.660 --> 00:16:42.879
 and she said,

00:16:42.920 --> 00:16:44.120
 Oh, that would be interesting.

00:16:47.259 --> 00:16:49.379
 She has good grounds for this, by the way, okay?

00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:50.520
 And she said,

00:16:50.540 --> 00:16:51.900
 Too bad I'm going to be in the nursery

00:16:51.900 --> 00:16:53.780
 to hear what I...

00:16:53.780 --> 00:16:55.420
 You know, George on listening.

00:16:55.560 --> 00:16:56.360
 That could be a variant.

00:16:56.440 --> 00:16:58.280
 My kids would probably be thinking the same thing.

00:16:58.460 --> 00:16:59.960
 Dad on listening.

00:17:00.800 --> 00:17:03.080
 It's a human problem, folks.

00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:05.340
 And I'm probably getting a little bit red right now.

00:17:05.339 --> 00:17:07.819
 So maybe if you could make the lights a little bit

00:17:07.819 --> 00:17:09.859
 so I don't look like I'm blushing when I say this.

00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:11.519
 Too bad we can't do it quickly.

00:17:12.500 --> 00:17:14.799
 The other thing is that these Proverbs

00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:17.480
 tell us that we should be open to new ideas.

00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:22.759
 In fact, the sad fact is that in many churches,

00:17:23.059 --> 00:17:25.079
 if you were to say that the Bible tells you

00:17:25.079 --> 00:17:26.199
 to be open to new ideas,

00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:28.039
 a lot of people will instantly feel,

00:17:29.059 --> 00:17:29.259
 Oh!

00:17:30.699 --> 00:17:30.959
 Oh!

00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:35.039
 Christians don't need to listen to new ideas.

00:17:35.339 --> 00:17:38.720
 George, that's a dangerous thing to say

00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:41.259
 that Christians should listen to new ideas.

00:17:41.399 --> 00:17:42.579
 Let's look at the next Proverb,

00:17:42.659 --> 00:17:43.459
 if you could put it up.

00:17:43.919 --> 00:17:47.159
 It's Proverbs 18, 18-2.

00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:50.099
 Do you want to say this with me?

00:17:50.779 --> 00:17:54.259
 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,

00:17:54.740 --> 00:17:57.339
 but only in expressing his opinion.

00:17:57.500 --> 00:17:58.240
 Let's say it again.

00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:02.079
 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,

00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:04.959
 but only in expressing his opinion.

00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:08.319
 Understanding means you're learning new ideas, folks.

00:18:08.939 --> 00:18:10.919
 That's what understanding means.

00:18:10.920 --> 00:18:15.519
 And this is, you know, once again,

00:18:15.560 --> 00:18:17.140
 this is a very powerful proverb

00:18:17.140 --> 00:18:19.380
 that it's very, very easy for us to say,

00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:22.519
 Wow, does this ever describe my professor or my boss

00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:23.900
 or my husband or my dad?

00:18:24.060 --> 00:18:26.940
 And it, you know, it doesn't,

00:18:27.100 --> 00:18:29.480
 we have a harder time thinking it might apply to us.

00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:31.039
 I mean, the fact of the matter is

00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:33.000
 is that we've all probably talked to people,

00:18:33.080 --> 00:18:37.340
 and you can tell that the only reason they stop talking

00:18:37.339 --> 00:18:39.399
 is that they have to catch up with their breathing,

00:18:40.379 --> 00:18:42.240
 and they're actually, but graciously,

00:18:42.359 --> 00:18:44.079
 will allow you to continue talking

00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:47.299
 while they catch up and replenish the oxygen in their body.

00:18:47.819 --> 00:18:50.339
 But what you say is completely and utterly irrelevant.

00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:54.519
 Or that even when they appear to listen,

00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:56.500
 because their eyes are on you,

00:18:56.740 --> 00:18:59.419
 and they have functioning ears,

00:18:59.420 --> 00:19:02.100
 but you can tell that when you're talking to them

00:19:02.100 --> 00:19:03.800
 that what's going on inside their brain

00:19:03.800 --> 00:19:06.140
 is that all they're doing is marshalling new things

00:19:06.140 --> 00:19:07.300
 they're going to say to you

00:19:07.300 --> 00:19:09.380
 once you finally stop speaking.

00:19:10.300 --> 00:19:12.539
 And the challenge is, does that describe us?

00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:14.440
 Because, you see, the fact of the matter is

00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:16.279
 is that most of us wouldn't say that we're fools.

00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:20.259
 In fact, my guess is that if we did a little survey,

00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:23.720
 you know, are you really foolish?

00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:25.680
 Below average fool?

00:19:26.080 --> 00:19:28.000
 Average fool? Above average fool?

00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:28.799
 Really foolish?

00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:30.759
 Probably most of us wouldn't put ourselves

00:19:30.759 --> 00:19:32.299
 in the above average fool.

00:19:32.380 --> 00:19:33.900
 In fact, most of us probably wouldn't even put ourselves

00:19:33.900 --> 00:19:34.940
 as average fools.

00:19:36.619 --> 00:19:39.019
 But how many of us in our conversations,

00:19:39.420 --> 00:19:43.319
 actually, maybe not in all of them,

00:19:44.220 --> 00:19:46.299
 all we're actually interested in doing

00:19:46.299 --> 00:19:47.680
 is expressing our own opinion.

00:19:48.420 --> 00:19:50.940
 And we're not actually interested in listening at all.

00:19:52.140 --> 00:19:53.460
 And how can you learn?

00:19:54.140 --> 00:19:55.059
 How can we learn?

00:19:55.220 --> 00:19:56.140
 How can I learn,

00:19:56.140 --> 00:19:57.620
 if that's all that's going on

00:19:57.620 --> 00:19:58.800
 with what I've already thought?

00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:03.480
 Now, this all sets up another one of these proverbs

00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:06.440
 that probably when we're looking through the book of proverbs,

00:20:06.560 --> 00:20:08.160
 looking for something really interesting

00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:08.960
 that'll help us,

00:20:09.280 --> 00:20:10.500
 we'd skip over this

00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:12.240
 because it sounds sort of hokey

00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:13.300
 and probably wrong.

00:20:13.840 --> 00:20:15.600
 But if we've come through

00:20:15.600 --> 00:20:18.460
 listening to Proverbs 18.15

00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:22.720
 and 12.15 and 13.10 and 18.2,

00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:26.460
 then maybe we're ready to actually listen to Proverbs 13.8

00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:29.180
 and see that it's actually a lot wiser than we think

00:20:29.180 --> 00:20:31.380
 and we need to hear it a lot more than we think.

00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:32.400
 If you could put it up, Andrew,

00:20:32.460 --> 00:20:33.019
 that would be great.

00:20:33.140 --> 00:20:33.779
 13.18.

00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:35.579
 You want to say it with me?

00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:39.100
 Poverty and disgrace come to him

00:20:39.100 --> 00:20:40.680
 who ignores instruction,

00:20:40.680 --> 00:20:44.000
 but whoever heeds reproof is honored.

00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:45.120
 Say it again.

00:20:45.840 --> 00:20:48.400
 Poverty and disgrace come to him

00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:49.860
 who ignores instruction,

00:20:50.420 --> 00:20:53.120
 but whoever heeds reproof is honored.

00:20:54.120 --> 00:20:56.180
 Now, just before I say anything more about this,

00:20:56.620 --> 00:20:58.420
 you'll notice we're going to do this all the way through.

00:20:58.480 --> 00:20:59.720
 We're going to say the Proverbs twice

00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:00.980
 because it's far more important

00:21:00.980 --> 00:21:02.100
 that you remember the proverb

00:21:02.100 --> 00:21:03.120
 than you remember me

00:21:03.120 --> 00:21:04.600
 or what I have to say about it.

00:21:04.980 --> 00:21:05.140
 Right?

00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:06.220
 The Proverbs wise.

00:21:07.140 --> 00:21:08.380
 Hopefully I don't get in the way

00:21:08.380 --> 00:21:09.420
 of the wisdom of the proverb.

00:21:10.140 --> 00:21:12.559
 And so some of these you might want to take back

00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:13.680
 and memorize yourself

00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:15.680
 or meditate upon them

00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:16.559
 or something like that.

00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:17.900
 But here's the thing about this.

00:21:17.940 --> 00:21:18.860
 At first glance,

00:21:19.299 --> 00:21:21.460
 if I hadn't tried to lead you to the point

00:21:21.460 --> 00:21:22.519
 where you acknowledge,

00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:23.819
 hopefully with me,

00:21:23.880 --> 00:21:26.480
 that there's a listening problem going on within me

00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:29.480
 and that, in fact,

00:21:29.600 --> 00:21:31.480
 a lot of strife and other problems

00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:32.799
 and ignorance and everything

00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:35.960
 comes from our lack of willingness to listen,

00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:39.000
 if we hadn't sort of gone through that,

00:21:39.079 --> 00:21:41.220
 we would maybe think that this proverb is wrong.

00:21:41.880 --> 00:21:44.200
 I couldn't find it in my bookshelves easily,

00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:45.279
 so I couldn't check it up.

00:21:45.380 --> 00:21:48.140
 But a man by the name of Stephen Covey

00:21:48.140 --> 00:21:50.019
 that probably many of you have heard of,

00:21:50.039 --> 00:21:50.779
 he's not a Christian,

00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:53.100
 but a few years ago,

00:21:53.180 --> 00:21:54.480
 I don't know, 15, 20 years ago,

00:21:54.539 --> 00:21:55.319
 maybe more than that,

00:21:55.420 --> 00:21:57.079
 for his PhD dissertation,

00:21:57.880 --> 00:22:00.059
 he did his PhD dissertation on,

00:22:00.140 --> 00:22:02.019
 he read all of the books,

00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:03.860
 the main books for the past,

00:22:03.859 --> 00:22:06.339
 I think it was 150 years in English,

00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:09.219
 that talked about success and effectiveness.

00:22:10.419 --> 00:22:13.339
 And when he read the 150 years worth of literature

00:22:13.339 --> 00:22:14.119
 on the subject,

00:22:14.259 --> 00:22:15.319
 he came to the conclusion

00:22:15.319 --> 00:22:17.659
 that the advice could be narrowed down

00:22:17.659 --> 00:22:19.299
 to seven statements.

00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:23.000
 And he ended up turning that PhD dissertation

00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:25.259
 into a book that sold millions of copies,

00:22:25.699 --> 00:22:26.240
 and it's called

00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:28.259
 Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

00:22:28.259 --> 00:22:30.299
 And that, with the book by Alan,

00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:31.980
 Getting Things Done,

00:22:32.019 --> 00:22:34.240
 are probably the two most important books

00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:36.480
 in literature around how to use your time

00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:37.359
 and how to be effective.

00:22:38.519 --> 00:22:43.799
 And one of those seven things

00:22:43.799 --> 00:22:46.819
 that he found key to effectiveness

00:22:46.819 --> 00:22:48.400
 was in fact,

00:22:49.859 --> 00:22:50.940
 he didn't word it this way,

00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:52.039
 I'm going to give you a different way

00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:52.680
 to word it in a moment,

00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:54.200
 but it's basically this,

00:22:55.380 --> 00:22:59.220
 that he found that listening

00:22:59.220 --> 00:23:01.720
 is key to success.

00:23:02.779 --> 00:23:04.200
 He found that

00:23:04.200 --> 00:23:07.100
 if you ignore listening to people,

00:23:07.220 --> 00:23:08.360
 if you ignore correction,

00:23:08.580 --> 00:23:09.820
 if you ignore listening,

00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:13.539
 things like poverty and disgrace

00:23:13.539 --> 00:23:14.560
 will come to you.

00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:17.560
 But if you listen to correction

00:23:17.560 --> 00:23:19.500
 and listen deeply to others,

00:23:20.100 --> 00:23:20.900
 you'll be honored.

00:23:20.900 --> 00:23:23.759
 Now, just think about it for a second,

00:23:24.800 --> 00:23:25.880
 because, you know,

00:23:25.940 --> 00:23:26.720
 just think about my,

00:23:26.840 --> 00:23:28.820
 you know, a marriage or a family.

00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:31.140
 Like, what's it like with a marriage

00:23:31.140 --> 00:23:33.720
 if the husband never listens to the wife?

00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:36.380
 What's it like in a marriage

00:23:36.380 --> 00:23:38.600
 if the wife never listens to the husband?

00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:41.220
 What's it like if all of these proverbs,

00:23:41.360 --> 00:23:42.220
 the husband and the wife,

00:23:42.300 --> 00:23:43.060
 think it applies to the other?

00:23:43.120 --> 00:23:44.480
 What's it like for a husband

00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:46.080
 and a father and his kids

00:23:46.080 --> 00:23:47.180
 or a mom and her kids?

00:23:47.240 --> 00:23:48.360
 What's it like in a workplace

00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:50.579
 if you absolutely never,

00:23:50.659 --> 00:23:51.879
 ever, ever, ever feel

00:23:51.879 --> 00:23:53.459
 that you're listened to?

00:23:54.459 --> 00:23:56.899
 Well, the marriage is going to suffer.

00:23:59.139 --> 00:24:00.719
 The marriage will be poorer.

00:24:02.939 --> 00:24:05.000
 The marriage won't be an honorable marriage.

00:24:05.319 --> 00:24:07.000
 The workplace will be poorer.

00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:10.559
 People will call in sick all the time.

00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:11.940
 They won't give their best.

00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:15.420
 They'll be backbiting and slander

00:24:15.420 --> 00:24:16.500
 and they'll be stealing

00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:18.339
 and there'll be all of these types of things.

00:24:19.180 --> 00:24:20.960
 And in fact, Stephen Covey found

00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:22.319
 that one of the seven habits

00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:23.880
 of highly effective people in that,

00:24:23.960 --> 00:24:24.380
 and as I said,

00:24:24.440 --> 00:24:25.900
 the book by Alan in secular

00:24:25.900 --> 00:24:27.140
 and in Christian circles

00:24:27.140 --> 00:24:28.059
 are often used

00:24:28.059 --> 00:24:29.500
 to try to teach people

00:24:29.500 --> 00:24:30.480
 to be more effective.

00:24:31.079 --> 00:24:33.380
 He's discovered in 150 years of literature

00:24:33.380 --> 00:24:35.359
 something that this proverb says,

00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:37.839
 which we will simply often read

00:24:37.839 --> 00:24:39.240
 and not even think it's true.

00:24:40.259 --> 00:24:40.959
 Isn't that amazing?

00:24:42.439 --> 00:24:43.839
 That a non-Christian,

00:24:44.299 --> 00:24:45.359
 after all the research,

00:24:45.439 --> 00:24:46.839
 would come across a proverb

00:24:46.839 --> 00:24:47.959
 that we would dismiss

00:24:47.959 --> 00:24:49.719
 as being one of the seven keys

00:24:49.719 --> 00:24:51.779
 to living an effective life.

00:24:52.619 --> 00:24:53.319
 Andrew, if you could put up

00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:54.079
 the first point,

00:24:54.159 --> 00:24:55.559
 I've slightly reworded it.

00:24:56.859 --> 00:24:58.099
 I actually do have points

00:24:58.099 --> 00:24:58.859
 in the sermon today

00:24:58.859 --> 00:25:00.019
 and this is a simple one.

00:25:00.719 --> 00:25:02.539
 Seek to understand something

00:25:02.539 --> 00:25:04.039
 or someone before you seek

00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:04.899
 to be understood.

00:25:06.159 --> 00:25:08.099
 Slightly rewording how Covey put it

00:25:08.099 --> 00:25:10.279
 and that's what this advice here is.

00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:13.259
 Seek to understand something

00:25:13.259 --> 00:25:14.180
 or someone

00:25:14.180 --> 00:25:16.379
 before you seek to be understood.

00:25:17.079 --> 00:25:18.200
 How will that change

00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:19.779
 your conversation with your wife

00:25:19.779 --> 00:25:20.980
 if you go into it saying,

00:25:21.079 --> 00:25:21.460
 you know what,

00:25:21.899 --> 00:25:23.039
 I'm actually going to spend time

00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:23.839
 talking to my wife.

00:25:23.960 --> 00:25:25.259
 You pray that I can do this, okay?

00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:27.099
 Pray that I can do this.

00:25:27.099 --> 00:25:29.579
 And I don't want to spend

00:25:29.579 --> 00:25:30.579
 my time talking to her

00:25:30.579 --> 00:25:31.419
 just so I can talk

00:25:31.419 --> 00:25:32.599
 and talk and talk and talk

00:25:32.599 --> 00:25:33.819
 but I want to really try

00:25:33.819 --> 00:25:34.939
 to understand her

00:25:34.939 --> 00:25:36.699
 and I want to try to make sure

00:25:36.699 --> 00:25:37.799
 I really understand her

00:25:37.799 --> 00:25:39.619
 before I try to make myself understood.

00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:41.579
 I want to try to have as my goal

00:25:41.579 --> 00:25:42.639
 that I will understand her

00:25:42.639 --> 00:25:45.439
 like very, very deeply

00:25:45.439 --> 00:25:47.000
 before I make any attempt

00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:47.799
 to be understood.

00:25:50.619 --> 00:25:51.199
 And, you know,

00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:53.299
 the problem with the Stephen Covey book

00:25:53.299 --> 00:25:55.779
 is that it's very easy for people

00:25:55.779 --> 00:25:56.539
 and this will sort of go

00:25:56.539 --> 00:25:57.079
 into the next one.

00:25:57.099 --> 00:25:58.259
 It's very easy for people

00:25:58.259 --> 00:25:59.220
 to take these habits

00:25:59.220 --> 00:26:00.480
 of highly effective people

00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:03.799
 as a way to exalt themselves

00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:06.259
 but not really take it to heart.

00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:09.200
 It's like that old saying

00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:10.319
 that, you know,

00:26:10.379 --> 00:26:11.599
 in business and in life

00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:13.519
 if you can fake sincerity

00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:14.940
 you've got it made.

00:26:16.159 --> 00:26:17.659
 You don't have to actually be sincere

00:26:17.659 --> 00:26:18.759
 just fake sincerity.

00:26:19.000 --> 00:26:20.339
 You don't have to actually care for people

00:26:20.339 --> 00:26:22.059
 just fake that you care for people

00:26:22.059 --> 00:26:24.680
 and things will go smart.

00:26:24.839 --> 00:26:25.700
 It can also even do that

00:26:25.700 --> 00:26:26.960
 just fake that you're actually

00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:27.880
 really trying to understand

00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:28.620
 the other person

00:26:28.620 --> 00:26:29.740
 but you're really just doing it

00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.900
 because you know that Covey

00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:31.640
 says that you do it.

00:26:32.080 --> 00:26:32.980
 But for us as Christians

00:26:32.980 --> 00:26:34.559
 this is to cut us to the heart.

00:26:35.860 --> 00:26:36.920
 I mean, this is now God

00:26:36.920 --> 00:26:37.980
 saying this to us

00:26:37.980 --> 00:26:40.140
 that that's how I should live my life

00:26:40.140 --> 00:26:41.960
 that I should seek to understand

00:26:41.960 --> 00:26:45.140
 before I want to make myself understood.

00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:46.200
 One of the things you can pray

00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:47.200
 for me and for Daniel

00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:48.299
 and for anybody who opens

00:26:48.299 --> 00:26:49.500
 the Bible in this church

00:26:49.500 --> 00:26:50.599
 let me tell you

00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:52.799
 this is a great besetting sin of clergy.

00:26:53.400 --> 00:26:56.079
 A huge, huge, huge

00:26:56.079 --> 00:26:58.740
 unaddressed sin of clergy

00:26:58.740 --> 00:26:59.660
 and I would love it

00:26:59.660 --> 00:27:01.539
 if you pray that I not practice it.

00:27:01.599 --> 00:27:01.980
 I would love it

00:27:01.980 --> 00:27:02.920
 if you pray for Daniel.

00:27:03.420 --> 00:27:04.400
 Daniel will not be upset

00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:05.440
 if you pray this for him

00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:06.039
 or anybody.

00:27:06.180 --> 00:27:07.119
 It's your small group leader

00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:07.460
 or whatever.

00:27:07.839 --> 00:27:08.559
 It's very easy.

00:27:09.299 --> 00:27:10.380
 Oh, you have to do a Bible study

00:27:10.380 --> 00:27:11.880
 on Luke chapter 5 verse 1

00:27:11.880 --> 00:27:13.640
 chapter 5 verse 1

00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:14.759
 and you read it over quickly

00:27:14.759 --> 00:27:16.000
 and you scan and you say

00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:17.740
 okay, I scan it

00:27:17.740 --> 00:27:19.480
 ta-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da

00:27:19.480 --> 00:27:20.859
 Okay, I understand this.

00:27:20.879 --> 00:27:21.420
 I got it.

00:27:22.660 --> 00:27:23.759
 And all you've done

00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:25.279
 is done a quick scan

00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:27.079
 and you've got it.

00:27:27.720 --> 00:27:28.099
 I'm going to be able

00:27:28.099 --> 00:27:28.720
 to talk about this.

00:27:28.779 --> 00:27:29.099
 I'm going to be able

00:27:29.099 --> 00:27:29.619
 to talk about this.

00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:30.000
 I'm going to be able

00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:30.599
 to talk about this.

00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:30.940
 I'm going to be able

00:27:30.940 --> 00:27:31.599
 to talk about this.

00:27:31.779 --> 00:27:32.640
 And before you know it

00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:33.960
 the Bible study leader

00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:35.599
 the clergy, the pastor,

00:27:35.740 --> 00:27:36.279
 the evangelist

00:27:36.279 --> 00:27:36.779
 they haven't actually

00:27:36.779 --> 00:27:37.779
 listened to the Bible.

00:27:38.859 --> 00:27:39.799
 They've just quickly

00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:40.519
 looked at it

00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:41.379
 to see what they can

00:27:41.379 --> 00:27:42.160
 grab out of it

00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:42.779
 because wow,

00:27:42.839 --> 00:27:43.539
 I've been really wanting

00:27:43.539 --> 00:27:44.379
 to talk about this.

00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:45.819
 We never say this

00:27:45.819 --> 00:27:47.259
 to ourselves out loud

00:27:47.259 --> 00:27:48.720
 but that's what goes on

00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:49.579
 in our spirits.

00:27:50.200 --> 00:27:51.420
 That's often what happens

00:27:51.420 --> 00:27:53.119
 in studies of a lot of clergy.

00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:54.640
 Whoa!

00:27:55.359 --> 00:27:56.200
 Okay, I can talk about this.

00:27:56.259 --> 00:27:56.839
 I can talk about this.

00:27:56.879 --> 00:27:57.599
 I want to talk about this.

00:27:57.660 --> 00:27:58.079
 I've been wanting

00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:58.660
 to talk about this.

00:27:58.700 --> 00:27:59.279
 This is a great opportunity

00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:00.079
 to talk about this.

00:28:01.259 --> 00:28:03.160
 Or even when we approach

00:28:03.160 --> 00:28:03.619
 the Bible

00:28:03.619 --> 00:28:05.180
 pray that this doesn't happen to me.

00:28:05.299 --> 00:28:06.440
 Pray that it doesn't happen

00:28:06.440 --> 00:28:06.920
 to Daniel.

00:28:07.160 --> 00:28:08.740
 It's a great temptation.

00:28:09.299 --> 00:28:09.940
 Pray that it doesn't happen

00:28:09.940 --> 00:28:10.980
 to your Bible study leader

00:28:10.980 --> 00:28:12.379
 that all throughout the week

00:28:12.379 --> 00:28:12.920
 I'm thinking to myself

00:28:12.920 --> 00:28:13.859
 oh, what do I?

00:28:13.859 --> 00:28:15.439
 What do I really want

00:28:15.439 --> 00:28:16.959
 to say to my congregation?

00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:18.259
 What do I,

00:28:18.740 --> 00:28:19.479
 I,

00:28:19.719 --> 00:28:20.519
 I

00:28:20.519 --> 00:28:22.359
 want to say to my,

00:28:22.500 --> 00:28:23.500
 my, my

00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:24.579
 Bible study group,

00:28:24.639 --> 00:28:25.639
 my Sunday school class,

00:28:25.719 --> 00:28:26.479
 my congregation?

00:28:27.299 --> 00:28:28.319
 Maybe I can find something

00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:28.819
 in the Bible

00:28:28.819 --> 00:28:29.379
 that will allow me

00:28:29.379 --> 00:28:30.159
 to talk about it.

00:28:31.299 --> 00:28:31.639
 Whoa!

00:28:31.719 --> 00:28:32.299
 This will allow me

00:28:32.299 --> 00:28:33.000
 to talk about

00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:34.979
 what I want to talk about.

00:28:35.019 --> 00:28:36.500
 We don't realize

00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:37.240
 that we do that.

00:28:37.500 --> 00:28:38.179
 Pray that we don't.

00:28:38.359 --> 00:28:39.379
 Pray that that doesn't happen.

00:28:40.259 --> 00:28:40.839
 Pray that when

00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:42.220
 we slip into it

00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:43.399
 because every minister

00:28:43.399 --> 00:28:44.439
 slips into it.

00:28:44.559 --> 00:28:44.959
 Pray that,

00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:46.139
 that when we start

00:28:46.139 --> 00:28:47.000
 to slip into it

00:28:47.000 --> 00:28:47.819
 that the Holy Spirit

00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:49.220
 will convict us of sin

00:28:49.220 --> 00:28:50.699
 and,

00:28:50.759 --> 00:28:51.279
 and we'll say,

00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:51.579
 you know what,

00:28:51.639 --> 00:28:52.720
 maybe I should spend

00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:55.859
 80% of my time

00:28:55.859 --> 00:28:56.720
 trying to understand

00:28:56.720 --> 00:28:57.879
 what the Bible's saying

00:28:57.879 --> 00:28:59.559
 and 20% of my time

00:28:59.559 --> 00:29:01.839
 how to explain it

00:29:01.839 --> 00:29:03.679
 or talk about it.

00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:09.580
 One of the things

00:29:09.580 --> 00:29:10.060
 which is,

00:29:10.840 --> 00:29:11.720
 I'm not going to try

00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:12.420
 to betray my,

00:29:12.420 --> 00:29:13.720
 my political things,

00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:14.560
 biases.

00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:16.160
 Probably some of you

00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:17.259
 would guess some of the things

00:29:17.259 --> 00:29:17.740
 and be wrong

00:29:17.740 --> 00:29:18.740
 about a lot of the other things.

00:29:19.400 --> 00:29:19.600
 But,

00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:20.740
 you know,

00:29:20.759 --> 00:29:21.440
 one of the things

00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:22.279
 that happens is

00:29:22.279 --> 00:29:23.820
 if you watch John Stewart

00:29:23.820 --> 00:29:26.400
 or if you watch Bill O'Reilly

00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:27.920
 or Rush Limbaugh,

00:29:28.140 --> 00:29:28.820
 take your pick,

00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:29.820
 left or right.

00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:32.100
 I remember a few years ago

00:29:32.099 --> 00:29:35.179
 that John Stewart

00:29:35.179 --> 00:29:36.379
 talked as if he didn't

00:29:36.379 --> 00:29:36.839
 actually think

00:29:36.839 --> 00:29:37.539
 he was left wing.

00:29:38.019 --> 00:29:38.559
 And I thought,

00:29:38.639 --> 00:29:38.779
 whoa,

00:29:38.899 --> 00:29:39.819
 doesn't think he's left wing?

00:29:40.980 --> 00:29:41.299
 Sorry,

00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:42.119
 I made somebody laugh

00:29:42.119 --> 00:29:42.859
 there for that one.

00:29:43.859 --> 00:29:44.179
 And,

00:29:44.219 --> 00:29:44.779
 and a lot of people

00:29:44.779 --> 00:29:45.019
 would say,

00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:45.159
 no,

00:29:45.240 --> 00:29:46.059
 Bill O'Reilly's not,

00:29:46.379 --> 00:29:46.519
 the guy,

00:29:46.779 --> 00:29:46.980
 you know,

00:29:46.980 --> 00:29:47.359
 Rush Limbaugh,

00:29:47.439 --> 00:29:48.019
 he's not right wing,

00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:48.759
 he's just right.

00:29:53.199 --> 00:29:54.799
 And a lot of what goes on

00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:56.579
 is we can end up

00:29:56.579 --> 00:29:58.079
 becoming part of a tribe,

00:29:59.019 --> 00:29:59.599
 pro-Harper,

00:29:59.719 --> 00:30:00.439
 anti-Harper,

00:30:00.619 --> 00:30:01.000
 NDP,

00:30:01.299 --> 00:30:01.799
 conservative,

00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:03.079
 you know,

00:30:03.199 --> 00:30:03.559
 green,

00:30:03.699 --> 00:30:04.000
 whatever.

00:30:04.719 --> 00:30:04.939
 And,

00:30:05.019 --> 00:30:06.019
 and what we don't do

00:30:06.019 --> 00:30:07.240
 is we don't actually

00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:08.439
 listen.

00:30:09.119 --> 00:30:10.619
 What we do is we mock

00:30:10.619 --> 00:30:13.079
 people who differ from us.

00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:15.619
 And we're not aware

00:30:15.619 --> 00:30:16.399
 of the fact that

00:30:16.399 --> 00:30:17.599
 much of what happens

00:30:17.599 --> 00:30:18.659
 with Limbaugh

00:30:18.659 --> 00:30:19.779
 or John Stewart

00:30:19.779 --> 00:30:20.179
 and you,

00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:21.399
 or Colbert,

00:30:21.459 --> 00:30:22.039
 you can take your

00:30:22.039 --> 00:30:22.719
 different picks,

00:30:23.480 --> 00:30:24.359
 is that a lot of what

00:30:24.359 --> 00:30:25.159
 is their humor

00:30:25.159 --> 00:30:26.000
 is actually just

00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:27.359
 mocking and scoffing.

00:30:28.939 --> 00:30:29.419
 And,

00:30:29.480 --> 00:30:30.319
 the book of Proverbs

00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:31.179
 say that that's

00:30:31.180 --> 00:30:33.039
 actually not good.

00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:33.500
 Let's,

00:30:33.700 --> 00:30:34.440
 Proverbs 9,

00:30:34.500 --> 00:30:35.539
 verses 7 to 10.

00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:35.940
 Andrew,

00:30:35.960 --> 00:30:36.660
 if you want to put it up.

00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:37.480
 I don't know if it all

00:30:37.480 --> 00:30:38.400
 made it on one slide

00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:38.720
 or not.

00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:40.480
 Two slides,

00:30:40.539 --> 00:30:40.759
 okay.

00:30:41.299 --> 00:30:42.320
 I will just say this one

00:30:42.320 --> 00:30:42.920
 once because it's

00:30:42.920 --> 00:30:43.980
 actually four Proverbs.

00:30:44.080 --> 00:30:44.620
 If you want to join

00:30:44.620 --> 00:30:45.420
 with me in saying it.

00:30:45.420 --> 00:30:48.120
 whoever corrects a scoffer

00:30:48.120 --> 00:30:49.660
 gets himself abused

00:30:49.660 --> 00:30:51.920
 and he who reproves

00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:52.840
 a wicked man

00:30:52.840 --> 00:30:54.039
 incurs injury.

00:30:54.640 --> 00:30:55.900
 Do not reprove

00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:56.700
 a scoffer

00:30:56.700 --> 00:30:58.200
 or he will hate you.

00:30:58.840 --> 00:31:00.400
 Reprove a wise man

00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:01.740
 and he will love you.

00:31:02.560 --> 00:31:03.500
 Give instruction

00:31:03.500 --> 00:31:04.820
 to a wise man

00:31:04.820 --> 00:31:06.800
 and he will be still wiser.

00:31:07.580 --> 00:31:09.039
 Teach a righteous man

00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:10.240
 and he will increase

00:31:10.240 --> 00:31:10.840
 in learning.

00:31:11.580 --> 00:31:12.759
 The fear of the Lord

00:31:12.759 --> 00:31:13.500
 is the beginning

00:31:13.500 --> 00:31:14.279
 of wisdom

00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:15.500
 and the knowledge

00:31:15.500 --> 00:31:16.500
 of the Holy One

00:31:16.500 --> 00:31:17.500
 is insight.

00:31:20.200 --> 00:31:21.140
 Here's this thing.

00:31:21.299 --> 00:31:21.420
 You know,

00:31:21.519 --> 00:31:22.940
 if you try to correct

00:31:22.940 --> 00:31:24.440
 Limbaugh,

00:31:25.740 --> 00:31:26.720
 instruct him,

00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:28.819
 he'll,

00:31:30.539 --> 00:31:30.819
 I mean,

00:31:30.940 --> 00:31:32.140
 I wouldn't try

00:31:32.140 --> 00:31:32.819
 to match wits

00:31:32.819 --> 00:31:33.759
 with John Stewart

00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:34.940
 or with Rush Limbaugh.

00:31:34.980 --> 00:31:35.440
 I wouldn't try

00:31:35.440 --> 00:31:36.039
 to match wits

00:31:36.039 --> 00:31:36.420
 with him.

00:31:37.539 --> 00:31:39.160
 And I would probably

00:31:39.160 --> 00:31:39.640
 have to,

00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:40.079
 you know,

00:31:40.099 --> 00:31:41.059
 depending on either one,

00:31:41.140 --> 00:31:42.319
 I'd have to sit there

00:31:42.319 --> 00:31:44.220
 with mocking invective

00:31:44.220 --> 00:31:45.439
 that would overwhelm me.

00:31:47.480 --> 00:31:48.799
 But this isn't just

00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:50.019
 a proverb

00:31:50.019 --> 00:31:51.240
 that makes fun

00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:52.419
 of what we may be,

00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:53.200
 some of us might say

00:31:53.200 --> 00:31:54.159
 are extreme people.

00:31:54.299 --> 00:31:55.480
 This actually is an important

00:31:55.480 --> 00:31:56.939
 litmus test for us.

00:31:57.779 --> 00:31:57.939
 Andrew,

00:31:57.980 --> 00:31:58.500
 if you could put up

00:31:58.500 --> 00:31:59.319
 the Venn diagram.

00:32:02.619 --> 00:32:03.240
 So hopefully

00:32:03.240 --> 00:32:03.879
 you can read that.

00:32:03.919 --> 00:32:04.399
 I have to make sure

00:32:04.399 --> 00:32:05.000
 I don't fall off

00:32:05.000 --> 00:32:05.539
 the screen,

00:32:05.720 --> 00:32:06.259
 the stage

00:32:06.259 --> 00:32:07.000
 while I talk to you

00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:07.339
 about it.

00:32:07.899 --> 00:32:08.259
 Here's,

00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:09.480
 here's what happens.

00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:11.460
 So,

00:32:11.900 --> 00:32:13.519
 most of us

00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:13.880
 will say,

00:32:13.940 --> 00:32:14.019
 no,

00:32:14.059 --> 00:32:14.539
 I'm pretty good

00:32:14.539 --> 00:32:15.259
 at listening to people

00:32:15.259 --> 00:32:16.200
 who disagree with me.

00:32:17.319 --> 00:32:18.319
 I'm actually

00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:19.059
 pretty good at that.

00:32:19.259 --> 00:32:19.460
 In fact,

00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:19.660
 you know,

00:32:19.680 --> 00:32:19.880
 George,

00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:21.620
 if you had a poll,

00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:22.799
 I would say

00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:24.500
 I'm above average

00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:26.240
 in listening

00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:26.980
 to other people

00:32:26.980 --> 00:32:28.099
 who disagree with me.

00:32:28.900 --> 00:32:29.140
 In fact,

00:32:29.160 --> 00:32:29.880
 we might discover

00:32:29.880 --> 00:32:32.019
 that 90%

00:32:32.019 --> 00:32:32.579
 of Canadians

00:32:32.579 --> 00:32:33.099
 think they're

00:32:33.099 --> 00:32:33.980
 above average.

00:32:35.160 --> 00:32:35.559
 Which,

00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:36.120
 once again,

00:32:37.059 --> 00:32:37.339
 you know,

00:32:37.420 --> 00:32:37.920
 unless it's

00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:39.460
 a modal distribution,

00:32:39.900 --> 00:32:40.140
 sorry,

00:32:40.420 --> 00:32:41.580
 statistic geek

00:32:41.580 --> 00:32:42.420
 comment,

00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:43.820
 it's probably

00:32:43.820 --> 00:32:44.640
 not the case.

00:32:45.360 --> 00:32:45.480
 But,

00:32:45.580 --> 00:32:45.660
 see,

00:32:45.720 --> 00:32:46.480
 what happens is

00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:46.860
 that we have

00:32:46.860 --> 00:32:47.640
 my thoughts

00:32:47.640 --> 00:32:48.940
 and then there's

00:32:48.940 --> 00:32:49.920
 the other person's

00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:50.340
 thoughts

00:32:50.340 --> 00:32:51.580
 and there's

00:32:51.580 --> 00:32:51.880
 a bit of

00:32:51.880 --> 00:32:52.640
 an intersection.

00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:54.120
 My guess is

00:32:54.120 --> 00:32:54.800
 with John Stewart

00:32:54.800 --> 00:32:55.460
 and Rush Limbaugh

00:32:55.460 --> 00:32:55.820
 it would be

00:32:55.820 --> 00:32:57.220
 a very tiny area

00:32:57.220 --> 00:32:59.220
 that they agree on.

00:32:59.279 --> 00:32:59.500
 I don't know,

00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:00.039
 maybe they both

00:33:00.039 --> 00:33:00.680
 like dogs

00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:01.160
 or something,

00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:01.720
 I don't know.

00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:03.100
 But,

00:33:03.180 --> 00:33:03.640
 apart from that,

00:33:03.660 --> 00:33:03.840
 it would be

00:33:03.840 --> 00:33:05.100
 a very tiny little area.

00:33:05.620 --> 00:33:05.700
 And,

00:33:05.740 --> 00:33:06.320
 and some of us

00:33:06.320 --> 00:33:07.240
 it's bigger areas.

00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:09.080
 The hard part

00:33:09.080 --> 00:33:10.779
 isn't the fact

00:33:10.779 --> 00:33:11.519
 that we can listen

00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:12.440
 to that area,

00:33:12.560 --> 00:33:13.100
 the part of the

00:33:13.100 --> 00:33:14.019
 intersecting circles

00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:14.800
 which is number two.

00:33:15.180 --> 00:33:16.140
 The hard part

00:33:16.140 --> 00:33:16.920
 is listening to that

00:33:16.920 --> 00:33:17.940
 which is number three.

00:33:18.900 --> 00:33:19.700
 Doesn't intersect

00:33:19.700 --> 00:33:20.420
 with us at all.

00:33:21.660 --> 00:33:22.300
 Doesn't intersect

00:33:22.300 --> 00:33:23.039
 with us at all.

00:33:23.880 --> 00:33:24.640
 And when we come

00:33:24.640 --> 00:33:25.680
 across that,

00:33:26.460 --> 00:33:28.640
 is there a propensity

00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:29.220
 within us?

00:33:29.279 --> 00:33:30.400
 Is there a time

00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:30.779
 within us

00:33:30.779 --> 00:33:31.100
 that we want

00:33:31.100 --> 00:33:31.920
 to make fun of it?

00:33:32.800 --> 00:33:33.660
 We want to joke?

00:33:34.100 --> 00:33:35.160
 We want to belittle it?

00:33:35.160 --> 00:33:36.160
 That,

00:33:37.320 --> 00:33:37.480
 this,

00:33:37.580 --> 00:33:38.160
 this ends up

00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:38.500
 being a bit

00:33:38.500 --> 00:33:38.900
 of a,

00:33:38.900 --> 00:33:40.720
 of a litmus test

00:33:40.720 --> 00:33:41.519
 for us.

00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:42.860
 Because the,

00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:43.720
 the fact of the matter

00:33:43.720 --> 00:33:43.920
 is,

00:33:43.960 --> 00:33:44.700
 is if I was to say

00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:45.340
 how many of us

00:33:45.340 --> 00:33:45.960
 have a problem

00:33:45.960 --> 00:33:46.620
 with mocking

00:33:46.620 --> 00:33:47.660
 and scoffing,

00:33:48.279 --> 00:33:48.960
 my guess is

00:33:48.960 --> 00:33:49.700
 that none of us

00:33:49.700 --> 00:33:50.519
 would actually feel

00:33:50.519 --> 00:33:51.300
 even remotely

00:33:51.300 --> 00:33:52.340
 convicted about it

00:33:52.340 --> 00:33:53.500
 before we read this.

00:33:54.620 --> 00:33:54.960
 But I,

00:33:55.519 --> 00:33:57.300
 I think mocking

00:33:57.300 --> 00:33:58.120
 and scoffing

00:33:58.120 --> 00:33:59.380
 is a human problem.

00:33:59.980 --> 00:34:00.740
 And once again,

00:34:00.820 --> 00:34:01.500
 just because you

00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:02.040
 gave your life

00:34:02.040 --> 00:34:02.540
 to Jesus

00:34:02.540 --> 00:34:03.080
 doesn't mean

00:34:03.080 --> 00:34:03.800
 you have a problem

00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:04.339
 with mocking

00:34:04.339 --> 00:34:05.139
 and scoffing.

00:34:06.180 --> 00:34:06.960
 Just because

00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:07.819
 I'm a pastor

00:34:07.819 --> 00:34:08.420
 doesn't mean

00:34:08.420 --> 00:34:09.059
 I don't have

00:34:09.059 --> 00:34:09.579
 a problem

00:34:09.579 --> 00:34:10.199
 with mocking

00:34:10.199 --> 00:34:11.039
 and scoffing.

00:34:11.960 --> 00:34:12.719
 And the fact

00:34:12.719 --> 00:34:13.179
 that I might

00:34:13.179 --> 00:34:13.960
 listen to one

00:34:13.960 --> 00:34:14.599
 of those guys

00:34:14.599 --> 00:34:14.920
 and,

00:34:15.139 --> 00:34:15.699
 and it happens

00:34:15.699 --> 00:34:16.300
 to fit with

00:34:16.300 --> 00:34:17.000
 something I already

00:34:17.000 --> 00:34:17.500
 believe,

00:34:17.980 --> 00:34:18.900
 but it's the things

00:34:18.900 --> 00:34:19.820
 that I don't believe

00:34:19.820 --> 00:34:20.159
 and if,

00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:21.300
 if I have a tendency

00:34:21.300 --> 00:34:21.759
 to just want

00:34:21.759 --> 00:34:22.679
 to make fun of them,

00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:26.539
 then Proverbs 9

00:34:26.539 --> 00:34:27.900
 verses 7 to 10

00:34:27.900 --> 00:34:28.880
 is talking about me.

00:34:29.739 --> 00:34:30.659
 It's not talking

00:34:30.659 --> 00:34:31.759
 about some other person.

00:34:31.760 --> 00:34:34.200
 It's a litmus test.

00:34:35.900 --> 00:34:36.200
 And you know,

00:34:36.280 --> 00:34:37.260
 here's one of the things

00:34:37.260 --> 00:34:37.760
 by the way.

00:34:38.660 --> 00:34:39.420
 Just sort of pause

00:34:39.420 --> 00:34:39.860
 before we're going

00:34:39.860 --> 00:34:40.600
 to wrap this all up

00:34:40.600 --> 00:34:40.980
 with a couple

00:34:40.980 --> 00:34:42.000
 of the final Proverbs.

00:34:44.460 --> 00:34:44.860
 If,

00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:45.740
 if people

00:34:45.740 --> 00:34:47.120
 weren't able

00:34:47.120 --> 00:34:48.500
 to take in

00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:49.700
 completely new

00:34:49.700 --> 00:34:50.560
 information

00:34:50.560 --> 00:34:51.640
 and new ideas,

00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:52.980
 there'd be no science.

00:34:55.520 --> 00:34:56.420
 If people

00:34:56.420 --> 00:34:57.200
 weren't able

00:34:57.200 --> 00:34:57.840
 to take in

00:34:57.840 --> 00:34:58.780
 completely new

00:34:58.780 --> 00:34:59.480
 information

00:34:59.480 --> 00:35:00.180
 and new ideas

00:35:00.179 --> 00:35:01.279
 and not just dismiss it,

00:35:01.339 --> 00:35:01.759
 there would be

00:35:01.759 --> 00:35:02.399
 nothing that,

00:35:03.079 --> 00:35:03.239
 I mean,

00:35:03.299 --> 00:35:03.719
 some people,

00:35:03.899 --> 00:35:04.039
 you know,

00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:04.679
 social science

00:35:04.679 --> 00:35:05.039
 isn't really

00:35:05.039 --> 00:35:05.819
 very scientific,

00:35:06.079 --> 00:35:06.440
 but that's,

00:35:06.919 --> 00:35:07.699
 there'd be no

00:35:07.699 --> 00:35:08.699
 understanding.

00:35:09.579 --> 00:35:09.980
 There'd really

00:35:09.980 --> 00:35:10.719
 be no growth

00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:11.859
 in anybody's life

00:35:11.859 --> 00:35:12.719
 or in whole

00:35:12.719 --> 00:35:14.199
 disciplines like science.

00:35:15.199 --> 00:35:16.179
 And it's interesting

00:35:16.179 --> 00:35:16.879
 here that it's

00:35:16.879 --> 00:35:17.440
 also saying

00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:17.779
 that there's

00:35:17.779 --> 00:35:18.299
 actually no,

00:35:18.359 --> 00:35:18.940
 no growth

00:35:18.940 --> 00:35:19.679
 in our walk

00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:20.299
 with Jesus.

00:35:21.000 --> 00:35:21.619
 That there's

00:35:21.619 --> 00:35:22.159
 a type of

00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:23.239
 a seamlessness

00:35:23.239 --> 00:35:25.299
 between being able

00:35:25.299 --> 00:35:25.799
 to listen

00:35:25.799 --> 00:35:26.799
 to new data

00:35:26.800 --> 00:35:28.740
 and not say,

00:35:28.820 --> 00:35:28.880
 no,

00:35:28.900 --> 00:35:28.980
 no,

00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:29.100
 no,

00:35:29.100 --> 00:35:29.440
 I really

00:35:29.440 --> 00:35:30.039
 think the data

00:35:30.039 --> 00:35:30.539
 has to go

00:35:30.539 --> 00:35:30.940
 this way.

00:35:31.060 --> 00:35:31.380
 And then you

00:35:31.380 --> 00:35:31.720
 just keep

00:35:31.720 --> 00:35:32.100
 trying to do

00:35:32.100 --> 00:35:32.519
 the data,

00:35:32.700 --> 00:35:32.940
 you know,

00:35:32.980 --> 00:35:33.539
 the experiments

00:35:33.539 --> 00:35:34.120
 over and over

00:35:34.120 --> 00:35:34.700
 and over again

00:35:34.700 --> 00:35:35.600
 before you get

00:35:35.600 --> 00:35:36.000
 the data

00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:36.720
 that you like.

00:35:37.220 --> 00:35:37.700
 And that's

00:35:37.700 --> 00:35:38.620
 not how science

00:35:38.620 --> 00:35:39.120
 works.

00:35:39.900 --> 00:35:40.200
 You know,

00:35:40.220 --> 00:35:40.740
 it's not how

00:35:40.740 --> 00:35:41.720
 in social sciences

00:35:41.720 --> 00:35:42.360
 you should actually

00:35:42.360 --> 00:35:43.060
 be sort of interested

00:35:43.060 --> 00:35:43.700
 in trying to figure

00:35:43.700 --> 00:35:44.780
 out what the actors

00:35:44.780 --> 00:35:45.560
 say and what's

00:35:45.560 --> 00:35:46.140
 going on in the

00:35:46.140 --> 00:35:46.680
 country and the

00:35:46.680 --> 00:35:47.000
 culture.

00:35:47.560 --> 00:35:47.900
 And actually,

00:35:48.220 --> 00:35:48.760
 you have to be

00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:49.580
 prepared to be

00:35:49.580 --> 00:35:50.360
 surprised.

00:35:50.519 --> 00:35:50.920
 Some of you

00:35:50.920 --> 00:35:51.140
 remember,

00:35:51.240 --> 00:35:51.600
 there's a few

00:35:51.600 --> 00:35:51.900
 while ago,

00:35:51.980 --> 00:35:52.480
 I used to be,

00:35:52.580 --> 00:35:53.080
 I used to do

00:35:53.079 --> 00:35:54.059
 sociological research.

00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.659
 That was what I

00:35:54.659 --> 00:35:55.199
 did before I was

00:35:55.199 --> 00:35:55.579
 a minister,

00:35:56.000 --> 00:35:56.519
 amongst other

00:35:56.519 --> 00:35:56.840
 things.

00:35:57.380 --> 00:35:57.960
 And I was

00:35:57.960 --> 00:35:58.420
 involved in a

00:35:58.420 --> 00:35:59.179
 research project

00:35:59.179 --> 00:36:00.019
 and that this

00:36:00.019 --> 00:36:00.619
 time when the

00:36:00.619 --> 00:36:01.039
 Holy Spirit

00:36:01.039 --> 00:36:01.619
 convicted me,

00:36:01.639 --> 00:36:01.960
 I was doing

00:36:01.960 --> 00:36:02.519
 some research

00:36:02.519 --> 00:36:02.960
 about the

00:36:02.960 --> 00:36:03.460
 effect of

00:36:03.460 --> 00:36:04.940
 income transfer

00:36:04.940 --> 00:36:06.099
 policies in

00:36:06.099 --> 00:36:08.440
 different nations,

00:36:08.860 --> 00:36:09.279
 capitalist,

00:36:09.500 --> 00:36:10.259
 advanced capitalist

00:36:10.259 --> 00:36:10.799
 nations,

00:36:11.299 --> 00:36:12.299
 and the impact

00:36:12.299 --> 00:36:12.920
 of transfer

00:36:12.920 --> 00:36:14.319
 payments on

00:36:14.319 --> 00:36:15.699
 income inequality.

00:36:16.199 --> 00:36:16.519
 And the

00:36:16.519 --> 00:36:17.039
 United States

00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:17.699
 wasn't finishing

00:36:17.699 --> 00:36:18.319
 the worst.

00:36:19.400 --> 00:36:19.980
 And I kept

00:36:19.980 --> 00:36:20.819
 using all of my

00:36:20.819 --> 00:36:21.519
 cleverness with

00:36:21.519 --> 00:36:22.440
 statistics to try

00:36:22.440 --> 00:36:23.460
 to bring in

00:36:23.460 --> 00:36:24.300
 different variables

00:36:24.300 --> 00:36:25.440
 because I was

00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:26.340
 driven to believe

00:36:26.340 --> 00:36:26.740
 that the United

00:36:26.740 --> 00:36:27.220
 States would be

00:36:27.220 --> 00:36:27.700
 the worst.

00:36:28.940 --> 00:36:29.320
 And it was one

00:36:29.320 --> 00:36:29.920
 of those times,

00:36:30.059 --> 00:36:30.780
 it's an odd time

00:36:30.780 --> 00:36:31.440
 when in my

00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:33.240
 sociological research

00:36:33.240 --> 00:36:33.960
 that it was as if

00:36:33.960 --> 00:36:34.639
 the Holy Spirit

00:36:34.639 --> 00:36:35.700
 spoke to me and

00:36:35.700 --> 00:36:35.860
 said,

00:36:35.980 --> 00:36:36.340
 George,

00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:37.940
 George,

00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:38.440
 what are you

00:36:38.440 --> 00:36:38.780
 doing?

00:36:39.900 --> 00:36:40.460
 Why are you

00:36:40.460 --> 00:36:42.139
 driven by this

00:36:42.139 --> 00:36:42.940
 hatred of the

00:36:42.940 --> 00:36:43.440
 Americans?

00:36:43.860 --> 00:36:44.119
 Many,

00:36:44.240 --> 00:36:44.740
 many years ago.

00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:46.179
 And I realized

00:36:46.179 --> 00:36:46.679
 that's what I was

00:36:46.679 --> 00:36:46.820
 doing.

00:36:46.900 --> 00:36:47.420
 I wasn't actually

00:36:47.420 --> 00:36:48.000
 just trying to

00:36:48.000 --> 00:36:49.760
 actually understand.

00:36:50.700 --> 00:36:51.360
 I had an

00:36:51.360 --> 00:36:51.720
 agenda.

00:36:52.440 --> 00:36:53.619
 And so it's

00:36:53.619 --> 00:36:53.840
 very,

00:36:53.940 --> 00:36:54.519
 very interesting

00:36:54.519 --> 00:36:55.139
 here that the

00:36:55.139 --> 00:36:55.599
 same type,

00:36:55.639 --> 00:36:56.280
 it's all connected

00:36:56.280 --> 00:36:56.860
 to the fear of

00:36:56.860 --> 00:36:57.159
 the Lord,

00:36:57.260 --> 00:36:57.579
 that there's

00:36:57.579 --> 00:36:57.820
 no,

00:36:58.440 --> 00:36:59.559
 it's not a

00:36:59.559 --> 00:36:59.780
 scene,

00:36:59.880 --> 00:37:00.000
 you know,

00:37:00.059 --> 00:37:00.700
 you think,

00:37:01.940 --> 00:37:02.200
 fear,

00:37:02.840 --> 00:37:04.800
 God is vastly

00:37:04.800 --> 00:37:05.760
 different than

00:37:05.760 --> 00:37:06.059
 me.

00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:07.900
 His thoughts

00:37:07.900 --> 00:37:08.720
 are not my

00:37:08.720 --> 00:37:09.340
 thoughts.

00:37:10.500 --> 00:37:11.179
 And if I'm

00:37:11.179 --> 00:37:12.019
 not prepared

00:37:12.019 --> 00:37:13.840
 to listen to

00:37:13.840 --> 00:37:14.539
 thoughts that are

00:37:14.539 --> 00:37:15.500
 different from me

00:37:15.500 --> 00:37:16.320
 in another person,

00:37:16.380 --> 00:37:16.840
 if I'm not

00:37:16.840 --> 00:37:17.539
 prepared to listen

00:37:17.539 --> 00:37:19.460
 to three with

00:37:19.460 --> 00:37:19.840
 you,

00:37:20.460 --> 00:37:21.220
 what makes me

00:37:21.219 --> 00:37:21.659
 think I'll

00:37:21.659 --> 00:37:22.099
 listen to

00:37:22.099 --> 00:37:22.639
 three from

00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:23.199
 God?

00:37:25.139 --> 00:37:25.539
 Like,

00:37:25.619 --> 00:37:26.299
 what makes me

00:37:26.299 --> 00:37:27.019
 think I would

00:37:27.019 --> 00:37:27.799
 listen to three

00:37:27.799 --> 00:37:28.639
 from God if I'm

00:37:28.639 --> 00:37:29.179
 not willing to

00:37:29.179 --> 00:37:29.419
 do it,

00:37:29.459 --> 00:37:30.279
 even listen to

00:37:30.279 --> 00:37:30.899
 it with you?

00:37:33.259 --> 00:37:34.059
 How does that

00:37:34.059 --> 00:37:34.399
 work,

00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:34.959
 George?

00:37:37.199 --> 00:37:37.939
 How does that

00:37:37.939 --> 00:37:38.299
 work?

00:37:39.339 --> 00:37:39.539
 I mean,

00:37:39.599 --> 00:37:40.599
 it can't work.

00:37:40.599 --> 00:37:47.360
 just a couple

00:37:47.360 --> 00:37:47.880
 of final ones.

00:37:47.940 --> 00:37:48.219
 One of the

00:37:48.219 --> 00:37:48.779
 reasons that we

00:37:48.779 --> 00:37:49.279
 have a hard

00:37:49.279 --> 00:37:50.119
 time listening

00:37:50.119 --> 00:37:52.719
 to instruction

00:37:52.719 --> 00:37:53.659
 from others is

00:37:53.659 --> 00:37:54.039
 that we know

00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:54.759
 they hate us.

00:37:56.519 --> 00:37:57.159
 We know they

00:37:57.159 --> 00:37:57.679
 hate us.

00:37:58.339 --> 00:37:58.819
 So if you could

00:37:58.819 --> 00:37:59.119
 put up the

00:37:59.119 --> 00:37:59.579
 next one,

00:37:59.940 --> 00:38:00.360
 it's I think

00:38:00.360 --> 00:38:00.940
 the second to

00:38:00.940 --> 00:38:01.440
 last of our

00:38:01.440 --> 00:38:01.880
 Proverbs.

00:38:03.960 --> 00:38:04.559
 You want to

00:38:04.559 --> 00:38:05.079
 say this with

00:38:05.079 --> 00:38:05.279
 me?

00:38:05.279 --> 00:38:06.199
 It's Proverbs

00:38:06.199 --> 00:38:06.579
 3,

00:38:06.679 --> 00:38:07.480
 verses 11 and

00:38:07.480 --> 00:38:10.840
 12.

00:38:17.500 --> 00:38:21.900
 Let's say it

00:38:21.900 --> 00:38:22.559
 together again.

00:38:22.559 --> 00:38:28.719
 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof,

00:38:29.079 --> 00:38:35.199
 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves as a father the son in whom he delights.

00:38:37.779 --> 00:38:41.039
 I mean, one of the things that you have to get away from this proverb is,

00:38:41.039 --> 00:38:44.759
 remember I didn't put it down as a point, but it's like an important takeaway for us,

00:38:45.440 --> 00:38:51.420
 is that one of the reasons that people who really like John Stewart

00:38:51.420 --> 00:38:54.840
 don't want to listen to Rush Limbaugh is they believe that Rush Limbaugh hates them,

00:38:55.220 --> 00:38:56.119
 and vice versa.

00:38:58.740 --> 00:39:02.880
 So one of the things, you know, if one of my first point was that seek to understand

00:39:02.880 --> 00:39:06.360
 before you want to seek to be understood, like one of the first,

00:39:06.360 --> 00:39:11.820
 another sort of takeaway which I didn't put as a point is that if you don't like somebody,

00:39:12.420 --> 00:39:17.860
 if you maybe hate them, maybe you shouldn't offer them advice.

00:39:17.860 --> 00:39:26.200
 If I really don't like somebody, then maybe I shouldn't offer them advice.

00:39:27.160 --> 00:39:31.039
 I mean, the thing here about all of these proverbs is on one hand,

00:39:31.120 --> 00:39:34.460
 the proverbs are all a bit, just because somebody hates you doesn't mean their comment

00:39:34.460 --> 00:39:39.420
 on your driving isn't true, which is why we always have to be willing to open,

00:39:39.599 --> 00:39:40.700
 to listen to advice.

00:39:40.699 --> 00:39:49.059
 I mean, the fact of the matter is they might hate me, and the fact of the matter is I might

00:39:49.059 --> 00:39:50.460
 drive badly.

00:39:52.139 --> 00:39:55.279
 And maybe a person who hates me is the one who's going to talk to me about it,

00:39:55.599 --> 00:39:57.379
 and maybe I have to listen to them.

00:39:58.739 --> 00:40:01.599
 But, you know, generally speaking, if we think somebody hates us,

00:40:01.699 --> 00:40:04.559
 we're going to probably not want to listen to their advice.

00:40:04.559 --> 00:40:08.599
 And so we should try to put that into practice ourself.

00:40:08.699 --> 00:40:12.259
 And if you really don't like somebody, if you really, really, really don't like them,

00:40:12.340 --> 00:40:14.079
 probably don't offer them any advice.

00:40:14.840 --> 00:40:15.500
 Pray instead.

00:40:17.219 --> 00:40:18.420
 Pray instead.

00:40:20.380 --> 00:40:20.779
 Pray.

00:40:21.420 --> 00:40:22.659
 But here's the thing for us.

00:40:22.840 --> 00:40:26.019
 This is a shocking thing, because this is directly connected to God.

00:40:26.019 --> 00:40:34.739
 That means that when we listen to the Bible about hell, when we listen to the Bible about tithing,

00:40:35.699 --> 00:40:45.259
 about money, about homosexuality, about sexuality, about Jesus being the only way,

00:40:46.480 --> 00:40:52.860
 about a whole range of things, nothing, this text is telling us that nothing in the Bible

00:40:52.860 --> 00:40:57.519
 that's God's Word written, that's come to us, is written because God hates us.

00:40:59.099 --> 00:41:08.059
 Every word, every word emerges from the love that has dwelt before the planets were formed or created.

00:41:08.519 --> 00:41:12.660
 From all eternity, the Father has loved the Son, and the Son has loved the Father.

00:41:13.220 --> 00:41:16.840
 And the movement of the love from the Father to the Son, and the Son to the Father,

00:41:16.940 --> 00:41:19.660
 is one way to understand who the Holy Spirit is.

00:41:19.659 --> 00:41:24.679
 And from all eternity, there has been love, and every word in the Bible addressed to us

00:41:24.679 --> 00:41:29.739
 is a word of love addressed to us, even the hardest parts.

00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:33.239
 Even the hardest parts.

00:41:34.139 --> 00:41:37.119
 So here's just a couple of points, and then we'll wrap it up.

00:41:38.319 --> 00:41:42.619
 True love, and if you could put it up, true love truly corrects.

00:41:43.440 --> 00:41:46.579
 True love truly corrects.

00:41:46.579 --> 00:41:52.500
 Any attempt to think that there's a type of spirituality or religion that's never going to try to correct us,

00:41:53.000 --> 00:41:55.920
 it's a spirituality or religion that doesn't love us.

00:41:57.840 --> 00:42:00.139
 Granted, some correction comes out of hatred,

00:42:01.259 --> 00:42:04.699
 but true love always corrects.

00:42:06.299 --> 00:42:10.900
 My wife corrects me because she loves me, and because I need correction.

00:42:10.900 --> 00:42:15.420
 True love truly corrects.

00:42:15.900 --> 00:42:16.860
 Another takeaway.

00:42:19.039 --> 00:42:22.440
 God always has more to teach me in his word.

00:42:24.300 --> 00:42:26.400
 I mean, here's the question for you.

00:42:28.119 --> 00:42:30.099
 When did you stop listening to God?

00:42:30.099 --> 00:42:34.699
 Why did you stop listening to God?

00:42:37.059 --> 00:42:38.219
 And some of you will say,

00:42:38.259 --> 00:42:39.819
 George, okay, this is a church.

00:42:40.460 --> 00:42:42.139
 I didn't stop listening to God.

00:42:43.099 --> 00:42:46.460
 Well, how often do you read your Bible this week?

00:42:47.639 --> 00:42:50.699
 For those of you who have been Christians for more than five years,

00:42:51.440 --> 00:42:52.639
 it's an uncomfortable moment.

00:42:52.639 --> 00:42:56.319
 How many of you have never read the Bible cover to cover?

00:42:59.679 --> 00:43:01.779
 Well, why did you stop listening to God?

00:43:02.099 --> 00:43:05.799
 Like, how would it work with Louise if I came home and Louise wanted to talk to me about it?

00:43:05.819 --> 00:43:06.500
 I said, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

00:43:07.420 --> 00:43:08.319
 Don't read Numbers.

00:43:08.699 --> 00:43:09.659
 Don't read Leviticus.

00:43:09.920 --> 00:43:11.139
 Don't read First Chronicles.

00:43:11.239 --> 00:43:13.699
 I don't want to talk to you about these topics either, Louise.

00:43:14.239 --> 00:43:15.879
 How do you think it would go if I said to my wife,

00:43:15.879 --> 00:43:21.119
 these are the areas of our life together that I don't want you to talk to me about

00:43:21.119 --> 00:43:22.099
 because I'm not going to listen.

00:43:22.639 --> 00:43:25.659
 That would not go very well.

00:43:26.639 --> 00:43:29.019
 And it shouldn't go very well, by the way, right?

00:43:29.839 --> 00:43:32.420
 I'm not saying it wouldn't go very well because there's a problem with Louise.

00:43:32.940 --> 00:43:34.079
 It shouldn't go well.

00:43:35.900 --> 00:43:39.159
 So if you haven't tried to read the whole Bible,

00:43:40.139 --> 00:43:43.139
 like, so why did you decide you're going to stop listening to God?

00:43:45.219 --> 00:43:46.319
 When did that happen?

00:43:47.299 --> 00:43:50.259
 And how come you're fine with it or how come I'm fine with it?

00:43:52.639 --> 00:43:59.839
 All of these proverbs are telling us that God always has more to teach me in his word.

00:44:00.799 --> 00:44:01.960
 And one more takeaway.

00:44:03.619 --> 00:44:05.339
 Lord, have mercy upon me.

00:44:05.920 --> 00:44:08.319
 Help me to never stop listening to you.

00:44:08.320 --> 00:44:11.320
 Lord, have mercy upon me.

00:44:11.400 --> 00:44:13.380
 Help me to never stop listening to you.

00:44:15.940 --> 00:44:17.600
 And that's just, it's not all work.

00:44:18.220 --> 00:44:19.480
 There's grace in all of this.

00:44:19.600 --> 00:44:22.880
 True love truly, true love truly corrects.

00:44:23.600 --> 00:44:25.100
 There's grace in the proverbs.

00:44:25.099 --> 00:44:28.000
 It's not just about our ability to listen.

00:44:28.339 --> 00:44:32.599
 The Bible is going to convict us of listening, but it wants to convict us of grace first.

00:44:32.679 --> 00:44:34.619
 If you could put up the final proverb, Andrew.

00:44:35.579 --> 00:44:36.779
 If you could say it with me.

00:44:37.900 --> 00:44:42.239
 Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself,

00:44:42.900 --> 00:44:46.299
 but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.

00:44:47.099 --> 00:44:50.219
 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life

00:44:50.219 --> 00:44:53.739
 that one may turn away from the snares of death.

00:44:54.339 --> 00:44:55.559
 Let's say it together again.

00:44:56.199 --> 00:45:00.299
 Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself,

00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:04.299
 but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.

00:45:05.039 --> 00:45:07.819
 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life

00:45:07.819 --> 00:45:11.619
 that one may turn away from the snares of death.

00:45:11.619 --> 00:45:19.199
 I pray because I believe God listens.

00:45:21.940 --> 00:45:24.179
 I pray because I believe God listens.

00:45:25.159 --> 00:45:27.059
 And it's not always been the case,

00:45:27.819 --> 00:45:32.359
 but I know that the listening problem in God and me and our relationship,

00:45:32.500 --> 00:45:34.940
 the listening problem isn't on his end, it's on my end.

00:45:36.099 --> 00:45:38.739
 God is always more willing to listen than I am to speak.

00:45:38.739 --> 00:45:45.979
 And I'm never as willing to listen to him as he is willing to speak to me.

00:45:47.939 --> 00:45:50.619
 But I pray because I know God listens.

00:45:52.059 --> 00:45:55.579
 And God just doesn't only listen to the cry of our hearts,

00:45:55.679 --> 00:45:57.099
 he listens to our rage.

00:45:58.359 --> 00:46:00.079
 He listens to our blindness.

00:46:01.099 --> 00:46:03.319
 He listens to our self-deception.

00:46:04.179 --> 00:46:08.439
 And that's why he sends his son to die upon the cross.

00:46:08.739 --> 00:46:11.879
 As a power of God for salvation for all who believe.

00:46:12.799 --> 00:46:16.819
 And why it's something just very, very, very tiny that we do

00:46:16.819 --> 00:46:20.799
 that allows the power of God for salvation to enter into us

00:46:20.799 --> 00:46:22.019
 and for us to enter into him.

00:46:22.779 --> 00:46:25.559
 And this proverb tells us the word.

00:46:25.779 --> 00:46:26.559
 It's very, very interesting.

00:46:26.619 --> 00:46:29.739
 Actually, if you want to put up the final point, Andrew, that would be great.

00:46:29.739 --> 00:46:34.819
 By his grace, God's word is life-giving life.

00:46:35.239 --> 00:46:36.579
 Or James, I guess it is.

00:46:36.619 --> 00:46:37.959
 If you could put up the final point.

00:46:39.019 --> 00:46:44.519
 By his grace, God's word is life-giving life.

00:46:44.519 --> 00:46:48.920
 It's very interesting because, you know, if you read John's gospel,

00:46:49.039 --> 00:46:54.159
 you know that the word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth.

00:46:54.960 --> 00:46:59.519
 And you know that in the same John in the gospels that Jesus preaches the word

00:46:59.519 --> 00:47:02.960
 and he is the word made flesh who preaches the word written.

00:47:02.960 --> 00:47:07.980
 And so there's this wonderful double meaning in this proverb.

00:47:09.039 --> 00:47:13.900
 To despise Jesus, to despise the word, brings destruction on ourselves.

00:47:14.880 --> 00:47:19.320
 Just as, in a sense, to despise the word from my wife brings destruction to our marriage.

00:47:19.420 --> 00:47:22.539
 To despise the word of my children brings destruction on my family.

00:47:22.960 --> 00:47:27.940
 To despise the word of your employer or your neighbor will bring destruction to the relationships.

00:47:27.940 --> 00:47:34.619
 And the very, very same type of thing is to despise the word of God brings destruction on himself.

00:47:34.740 --> 00:47:38.260
 To despise the word made flesh brings destruction on ourselves.

00:47:38.360 --> 00:47:42.500
 But he who reveres the commandment, who has an affection for it,

00:47:43.320 --> 00:47:49.099
 doesn't understand all of it but has a desire to honor it, to affection for it.

00:47:50.019 --> 00:47:53.320
 And when I became a Christian, I didn't know everything that Jesus did,

00:47:53.320 --> 00:47:58.080
 but I knew that I had to trust him as my savior and as my lord.

00:47:58.760 --> 00:48:04.039
 And God takes that tiny bit of revering of him

00:48:04.039 --> 00:48:08.240
 and the power of God for salvation comes and enters into us.

00:48:08.900 --> 00:48:11.860
 That life comes into us.

00:48:12.620 --> 00:48:19.140
 Life-giving life enters into me and I receive it and I enter into it.

00:48:19.139 --> 00:48:23.779
 And in fact, a whole way to understand the Christian faith,

00:48:23.839 --> 00:48:26.119
 if you have a hard time understanding, repent and believe,

00:48:26.239 --> 00:48:32.879
 just take the last part of this proverb to say that to turn to Jesus is to turn to a fountain of life.

00:48:33.659 --> 00:48:36.460
 And if you turn to Jesus who is the fountain of life,

00:48:36.559 --> 00:48:40.619
 you are turning from death and it snares towards a fountain of life.

00:48:42.099 --> 00:48:43.279
 And that's the heart.

00:48:44.019 --> 00:48:47.039
 God, by his grace, gives life.

00:48:47.039 --> 00:48:52.920
 And my call and my cry to try to learn to listen to God

00:48:52.920 --> 00:48:59.079
 and to learn to listen to others is not now something that I have to do in a certain way before God loves me

00:48:59.079 --> 00:49:04.639
 because God, who is life-giving life, offers life-giving life to me,

00:49:04.860 --> 00:49:10.639
 who is incomplete and self-deluding and self-deceiving,

00:49:10.880 --> 00:49:12.039
 and he's not weighing my merits.

00:49:12.779 --> 00:49:14.179
 He offers me this gift.

00:49:14.179 --> 00:49:22.019
 And now my journey to listen is not a journey that I have to walk on by myself,

00:49:22.299 --> 00:49:23.719
 but I can walk with Jesus.

00:49:25.279 --> 00:49:29.319
 And the love of Jesus for me is not an abstraction, but it's real.

00:49:30.339 --> 00:49:31.559
 He died on the cross.

00:49:32.559 --> 00:49:35.679
 He drank the cup that I deserve of my doom

00:49:35.679 --> 00:49:38.440
 and offered me his cup of destiny.

00:49:38.440 --> 00:49:41.159
 It's not an abstraction.

00:49:41.440 --> 00:49:42.380
 It's not an idea.

00:49:43.039 --> 00:49:44.659
 It happened on Calvary.

00:49:45.119 --> 00:49:45.840
 It's real.

00:49:46.519 --> 00:49:49.179
 Every word in the Bible is a word of love

00:49:49.179 --> 00:49:51.679
 that will turn me, hopefully,

00:49:52.360 --> 00:49:54.840
 to life-giving life,

00:49:55.000 --> 00:49:57.400
 a fountain of life-giving life

00:49:57.400 --> 00:49:59.500
 that I might turn from death

00:49:59.500 --> 00:50:01.119
 and the snares of death

00:50:01.119 --> 00:50:02.740
 to enter into life

00:50:02.740 --> 00:50:04.679
 and learn to listen

00:50:04.679 --> 00:50:06.679
 to life-giving life.

00:50:06.679 --> 00:50:07.500
 Please stand.

00:50:12.399 --> 00:50:13.980
 Let's just bow our heads in prayer.

00:50:20.159 --> 00:50:20.639
 Father,

00:50:21.219 --> 00:50:23.919
 we confess before you

00:50:23.919 --> 00:50:26.039
 that probably we didn't think

00:50:26.039 --> 00:50:28.219
 we had to hear any proverbs about listening

00:50:28.219 --> 00:50:29.559
 because we had that covered

00:50:29.559 --> 00:50:30.599
 and we had it matched.

00:50:32.079 --> 00:50:34.099
 We never struck us, Father,

00:50:34.179 --> 00:50:36.079
 that maybe there's whole areas of our lives

00:50:36.079 --> 00:50:37.219
 where we don't want to listen to you

00:50:37.219 --> 00:50:40.179
 or that we read the Bible

00:50:40.179 --> 00:50:42.699
 in a way that will make us feel superior to others.

00:50:42.920 --> 00:50:44.299
 Father, we thank you

00:50:44.299 --> 00:50:45.599
 that your word has the power

00:50:45.599 --> 00:50:46.699
 to cut us to the heart.

00:50:47.880 --> 00:50:49.259
 But we thank you, Father,

00:50:49.340 --> 00:50:50.500
 that your word has the power

00:50:50.500 --> 00:50:51.539
 to cut us to the heart,

00:50:51.639 --> 00:50:53.059
 not so that you will mock us

00:50:53.059 --> 00:50:54.179
 or scoff at us,

00:50:54.819 --> 00:50:57.319
 but so that we will cry out to you

00:50:57.319 --> 00:50:58.920
 for mercy and come to Jesus.

00:50:59.579 --> 00:51:00.619
 We thank you, Father,

00:51:00.719 --> 00:51:02.819
 that in Jesus and his death upon the cross

00:51:02.820 --> 00:51:04.720
 that you offer life-giving life,

00:51:04.800 --> 00:51:06.580
 a fountain of life-giving life

00:51:06.580 --> 00:51:08.720
 that we can plunge into

00:51:08.720 --> 00:51:10.160
 and that can enter into us.

00:51:10.780 --> 00:51:12.600
 Father, turn our hearts to Jesus.

00:51:13.220 --> 00:51:14.539
 Help us to listen to you.

00:51:14.640 --> 00:51:15.980
 Help us to want to listen to you.

00:51:16.080 --> 00:51:17.900
 Help us to want to learn more from your word.

00:51:18.320 --> 00:51:20.200
 Help us not to feel that we have arrived,

00:51:20.340 --> 00:51:21.860
 that there's not more for us to know

00:51:21.860 --> 00:51:23.519
 and more of us to learn

00:51:23.519 --> 00:51:25.780
 and more for us to try to experience.

00:51:25.780 --> 00:51:28.000
 Father, grant us a hunger and thirst

00:51:28.000 --> 00:51:30.380
 for the fountain of life-giving life.

00:51:30.660 --> 00:51:32.140
 Father, grant us an ability

00:51:32.140 --> 00:51:34.480
 to turn from death and the snares of death

00:51:34.480 --> 00:51:36.280
 to life-giving life,

00:51:36.580 --> 00:51:38.600
 your son Jesus, to your word.

00:51:38.960 --> 00:51:41.540
 And Father, as we enter more deeply into that,

00:51:41.660 --> 00:51:43.240
 help us to listen to others,

00:51:43.640 --> 00:51:45.860
 unafraid to listen to others,

00:51:46.019 --> 00:51:48.440
 without mocking, without superiority,

00:51:49.300 --> 00:51:50.660
 to listen to others.

00:51:50.820 --> 00:51:53.300
 Father, we ask that you would help us.

00:51:53.600 --> 00:51:55.100
 And this we ask in the name of Jesus,

00:51:55.099 --> 00:51:56.299
 your son and our savior.

00:51:56.799 --> 00:51:57.159
 Amen.