The expression “listen to yourself” deserves more airplay in the spoken vernacular. This is especially true in politics when we hear the most ridiculous statements imaginable coming from people who have to know they are lying yet are so utterly addicted to their message somehow being sacrosanct that they continue to lie.

Another element listening to yourself reveals, or at least ought to reveal, is the discovery we do not always know what we are talking about, be it regarding ourselves or others. Assuming the other person knows or does not know what we are discussing can be dangerous. That said, the other person deserves the same grace we ask for ourselves when believing they may have a clue about what is going on.

We should always try to educate ourselves and others. Part of education consists of developing discernment as to what we should tell others or have no need to. We must grasp this fundamental truth to maintain our position if we profess to be a leader.

The latest episode of Cephas Hour focuses on these ideas. Music is by:

• 77s
• AD
• Bringing Home
• Crystoria
• Daniel Amos
• Greg X. Volz
• Larry Norman
• Mustard Seed Faith
• Prodigal
• Rachel Wilhelm
• Rosalie Featuring AfterLIFE
• Shelly Moore
• The Choir

You can listen to the show on demand at this link on its website. Hope you enjoy it, and thanks.

A huge part of spiritual growth and growth period comes from admitting you don’t have all the answers. Many young Christians, and unfortunately, not a few older ones, suffer from undiagnosed errors of enthusiasm. They believe that whatever level of Spirit–led enlightenment they enjoy gives them all the answers, and thus boldly charge into the world only to blunder into situations that experience would have instructed them they have no business being involved - similar to zealous youth who commit the error of believing that since they assume or think something is a certain way that it is so, 

True wisdom comes from understanding that the other person, like you, is indeed made in God’s image and has, in fact, lived a life. They neither have all the answers nor are they utterly bereft of the same. We are all one part of one body, meant to complement each other, perform our different roles, and, in doing so, work together to advance the cause of Jesus Christ. Even as God loves all the other sinners besides ourselves, God has worked and is working in the lives of all other saints, including ourselves. It’s okay to help. It’s not okay to hinder by helping where help is unnecessary.

Something I’ve struggled with my entire life is responding with patient listening when someone feels the need to explain to me something I already know. While it is demeaning for someone to assume you need instructions regarding how one plus one equals two, it is rude to immediately jump in with, “I already know that! You’re wasting my time and yours!” A little patient grace goes a long way.

That said, never assume that because you need an explanation, the other person does as well.

In the fifth chapter of Hebrews, we find these words:

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Harsh but accurate. So many times, we become so attentive to ensuring we have the basics covered that we forget to advance and grow. This ties into what I mentioned earlier about exerting patience when being told something you already know and admitting we do not have all the answers. There is rich depth in Scripture and life none of us have explored. Perhaps we should rectify that, in doing so, no longer wasting our and God’s time by pretending we are wise when, in fact, we are anything but. We should also stop wasting time and effort on excusing those who refuse to grasp their limitations, instead leaving them to the Lord to discipline. Pursuing excellence should be the goal of every believer. Pretending we are what and who we are not, not so much.