One of my more embarrassing and humbling moments as a student occurred while pursuing a Masters degree at Westminster Theological Seminary (WTS) in Glenside, PA. I came from a different stream of bible-believing theology than my instructors (they also were Christ-honoring Bible believers). I thought I had a fairly good grasp on the English Bible. When during a lecture an instructor made a point that went against my understanding of Scripture, I would challenge him with a question.
After class one day, as we were all heading for the mailroom in Machen to check our boxes, one of my fellow students grabbed my arm and put his face in my face. “I did not pay all this money to come to this school to listen to you using up class time to ask questions!”
By the grace of God, in that moment I knew he was right, and the Lord convicted me of my arrogance. At that time I was forty years old, an old man compared to the twenty-somethings I was surrounded by. I had a relationship with Christ before these guys had been born. I should have known better. That day was the last day at WTS that I used questions to challenge my professors. From then on I would ocassionally ask questions (much, much more rarely), but those questions were motivated by a desire to learn, not to challenge.
The very valuable (and painful) lesson I learned that day can be expressed in four words: shut up and listen! I realize that there are parents out there for whom “shut up” has the same illegitimacy as a four-letter word, and that you (properly) teach your children never to use that language. I’m not disagreeing with you, I’m simply confessing that sometimes the Spirit of God uses a 2×4 rather than a gentle wind. Some of us have the spiritual sensitivity of a mule—or to put it another way, some of us are hard of hearing (like me!).
We’ve all seen the guy who needs to dominate every conversation, needs to give his opinion on everything. His conversation bears more resemblance to a congressional filibuster than a mutual discussion. Like a Washington lobbyist, he doesn’t yield the floor—he just keeps rattling on. By the grace of God I’ve never said it—but I’ve thought it: “buddy, you need to shut up and listen.”
In the counseling room, sometimes a person will go on and on and on, turning my “short answer” question into a multiple-choice essay question. In a social setting, they grab control of the conversation. In a discussion of theology, they consume all the available oxygen and air-time.
Shut up and LISTEN!
And then, wouldn’t you know it, I was reading my Bible this morning and thinking of how I would use the verses in a Sunday School lesson or a counseling session, and these words came to mind: Cobb, shut up and listen. God is more desirous of me applying those verses to my own life and heart, than having me apply them to others.
Shut up and LISTEN!
It’s a good lesson. For me.
“Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.” (Proverbs 17:28)
