Filter

Today in Morning Prayer, Jesus begins and ends with the word, “Listen.”

3 And Jesus told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow.

4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up.

5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched;

and since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns,

and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil

and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

9 Let anyone with ears listen!" Matthew 13:3-9 (NRSV)

His story speaks of different spiritual attitudes. The Resister (rocky soil.) The Fair Weather Follower (no root,) the Choker (among thorns,) and Multiplier (good soil.)

Those who listen to Christ on a regular basis and APPLY his ways do the impossible (one hundredfold.) Listening and hearing are not the same. Even an atheist hears the words of Christ from time to time. True listening requires taking in the words and acting upon them.

Noise keeps us from listening. Faith and filtering go together. I cannot listen to God if I take in everything.

A disciple, one whose life consistently exceeds his or her circumstances, develops the art of filtering out noise.

Today, filter.