Shhhh... Listen..

As we enjoy the Christmas Season, and as the excitement of gifts, feasts and family begin to calm, I was reminded of something that struck me a couple of months back. It hit me really hard and I was compelled to share it with my Facebook friends and anyone who might listen at that time.

Today as I was driving, I heard this song again and it reminded me of how important this message truly is.

Our world is filled with noise. This is not by accident. All of the noise, the lack of quiet is a distraction. I realize I'm starting to sound like a conspiracy theorist here, and that isn't really my intention. But by keeping it noisy, we are less likely to notice what is really going on. 

I really prefer not to be too political, because even in that I find their is more noise than substance... but consider what we see and hear through the news, media and the office of our respective world-leaders. Nothing but noise. Noise to insight fear, or frustration. Noise to create a sense that change is required. Noise that tells us we have to stay the course. Noise that says look this way way or that. Noise that points "over there" so we don't notice what's happening "over here"

Noise that is designed to distract us from what is really going on. South of the border we have the noise of a government shut-down that threatens to stay as such until a wall or fence is built that was promised to be build by another country all together. In our own country, we have noise of the fact that Santa lives on Canadian soil and therefore pays Canadian taxes! (If that doesn't get you coal in your stocking....) Or, the noise of cannabis legalization, the sex-ed curriculum debate, pipeline battles and disagreements and many more.

While I don't in any way, want to minimize the importance these issues carry (ok, except the Santa-tax story), they really do have important consequences and need careful thought and cooler heads... my point is that will all the noise, we are very effectively distracted.

What is missing from all of this noise on each and every issue, is that we are all people. Human beings. Our age, gender, sexual orientation, political leaning, opinion on gun-control or our right to free speech are all secondary to that one simple fact. Each one of us are people. People of incalculable value to God.

This idea isn't new, nor is it terribly ingenious. But the system that distracts us from that fact is very ingenious and intentional.

If the noise can keep us from realizing this one main point, then it is doing its job. Because if we really do pause, long enough to look around and see what's happening... we just might opt-out. 

And so, I'm calling on each of us to pause during this season. Pause, be with family and friends. Listen, hear what God has to say and what He intends for us. Read books like Amos, Ecclesiastes, or The Gospels. Books that see the world as it is. No noise, or distraction. True reality.

Enough with the setup. Here is the song. On line in particular, screams out to me as I seek to dial-down the noise in my own world and dial up the voice of the Lord and hear what He's trying to get through. "Nobody's right, if everyone is wrong..."

And so, I challenge you to pause. Give the lyrics a read, and perhaps give the song a listen.

Pause, and think about what this means in your world. What does it look like for you to stop, listen and look around and see what you're missing, and how you can help?

What do you need to receive in order to be a part of quieting down the noise around you. I didn't include this in my last post, about being light into a dark world, but as Christians, as our lead Pastor at our church reminded us; we can not give away what we don't have. So maybe this all begins with us asking God to fill us with His Spirit. His peace, love, joy and hope that can then overflow out of us and bring light to a dark world, quiet to a noisy world, and healing to a broken world.

So, for now just pause. Listen. Ask and act. Maybe what 2019 needs more than anything is a little quiet and a people willing to listen to the worldview of others, see the value and common ground in what they are trying to communicate, and a universal value that stems from our identity as created, in the image of God himself.

And, here's the point... if we pause, stop listening to all of the noise and act according to what we truly see: real people, real hurts, and practical ways to love each other... the noise loses its power.

For What it's Worth (click to listen)

There's something happening here

What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side

It's s time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Songwriters: Stephen Stills

For What It Is Worth lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc