Pay Attention and Listen

via TJC

Ecclesiastes 5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.

Guarding and listening are better than foolish religious acts. Pay attention and listen. To throw undiscerning religious platitudes about, is only the sacrifice of fools.

As a young pastor, I had experienced a tremendous amount of success early on. However, this success blinded me to the disguised booby trap set for me. The table was set for me to be changed.

Our church had hosted a guest speaker from Sweden. He was very gifted and it was exciting to witness. People were being set free. But over several days of these gatherings, I began a slow, imperceptible burn of envy. My foot hovered over the trap.

I was not happy that this man was getting attention for his spiritual insights. He was overshadowing me. Focused on being eclipsed, I left my steps unguarded and ears spiritually deaf. Instead of seeing the trap, I plowed forward with my ‘word of knowledge.’ It functioned as a religious word and naturally landed like an anvil. For the first time in my walk…a word I had given was tested and found lacking. I was doing evil…and had been a fool.

Praise be to God, He offered me the opportunity to repent. And my brothers were quick to hear my confession and forgive me. The love of God is all about restoration.

Daily Battle Order:

Pay attention and listen to your inner man. As men and leaders, we need to be cold-bloodily ruthless regarding the evaluation of our own walk. Before you start evaluating other brothers, do a hot wash of your own inner man. To do that, you need to practice the discipline of silence and solitude.