Hearing the Message

Today's readings: Psalms 96; 149; Isaiah 12:1-6; Revelation 1:1-8; John 7:37-52 

When we receive a message, we evaluate it from different angles. We consider the source, the delivery style and the content. We may ask ourselves: Is the source reliable? Is the delivery sincere, sarcastic or something else entirely? Is the content believable? Communication is a complicated endeavor, but because it happens constantly we tend to take for granted that we handle this complexity efficiently. In most cases this may be true, but if we're not paying attention we can be manipulated - or unwittingly manipulate the message ourselves.

In John 7 Jesus delivers a message meant for both the uneducated crowds and the highly educated Pharisees, to varying effects. The crowd loves him; the pharisees want to find a reason to arrest him. At the very least they want to dismiss him because he comes from the backwater town of Galilee. When Nicodemus points out that Jewish "law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing" (v 51), they suggest Nicodemus must be from Galilee if he wants to defend Jesus. While the Pharisees fume and fuss, at this point they have no legitimate reason to discredit the message other than "I don't like it."

How do we react to messages we don't like? Does that reaction depend on the source? If we are told at work we have performed poorly, does our reaction depend on whether it comes from a co-worker, superior or subordinate? Should it? Certainly we need to be critical of messages we hear, but first we need to be willing to hear the content, regardless of the source. If our first response to a negative message or criticism is "Who do you think you are?" ... there's a good chance we are unfairly negating a source to avoid unpleasant content. It is a human and understandable reaction, but leaving it unexamined diminishes our integrity.

This effect pervades all levels of society - families, businesses, government, religion etc. Like Nicodemus when faced with it we should challenge it. In a just society, valid content is considered fairly regardless of the source. Let's welcome truth wherever it is found.

Evening readings: Psalms 132; 97