Talking Heads

You can say a lot with your face, even if your mouth remains (momentarily) shut.

Mama had a look that she shot at me when I was doing something I wasn’t supposed to. It was guaranteed to curdle milk at ten paces; absolutely no words were needed. The message was, “Quit that or you’re dead meat!” At least that was how I interpreted it.

Not all looks are scary. Once when I was leaving class in college, a beautiful freshman girl that I didn’t know, flashed me a friendly smile. She was running for cheerleader, I think, and unfortunately the message was simply, “Vote for me!”

When my son Steve was about seven months old, we were in the grocery store with my wife and mother-in-law. Phyllis was buying and her mom and I pushed the buggy with little Steve in it.

As I “goo-gooed” and “gaa-gaaded”, playing with him, suddenly his face changed and he looked at me in a way that said unmistakably, “I love you!” I had never seen a baby do that and would have thought that I imagined it if my mother-in-law hadn’t said, “Did you see that? It looked like he said that you were the grandest guy in the world.”

All that helps me to understand Bible verses like these:

“Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Selah. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.” (Ps. 24: 6-9) NIV)

What’s all this about seeking God’s face?

When you’re close enough to see God’s face he can communicate with you. You may get a message to someone by yelling at her from 75 yards away but you’ll never see what her face is communicating in return. You’ve got to move in close to catch the nuances that speak from her visage.

God communicates best to those who are close to Him and for that kind of communication we must battle through all the distractions, busyness, unbelief and dead emotions that conspire to keep us far from His presence.

Often the beginning of our prayer time seems like what a jungle explorer must feel as he hacks through thick underbrush and vines, seeking a way through the tropical forest.

Ah, but when we get close ...

… We see such a look of love for us, that we hadn’t really discerned when we spoke with Him from a long way off. That was worth the trek!

… Now that we’re “up close and personal He can direct us. “ I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” (Ps. 32:8, KJV). When you’re that close, He can look in the direction He wants you to go and you’ll understand. A look, a nod, a wink, a twinkle in the eye, a low whisper—we miss all these when we remain at a distance.

… Sometimes we’re afraid to get too close because we dread seeing reproach in His face. If you’ve sinned, come anyway. God’s will forgive, cleanse and deliver you in His presence if you really want Him to.

A father told the story of trying to spank his son. When the little one realized that Armageddon had arrived he did a surprising thing. Instead of running away from his dad, he ran to him and latched onto his leg for dear life. The father reported that it was harder to give a good spanking from that angle and he really didn’t have the heart for it anyway.

God’s presence is a healthy, healing place, even if he has to deal with us sternly at times. Come running—right up close!

Young lovers seem to say whole libraries of meaningful things as they look in their sweet thing’s eyes. Wriggle through the crowd into His presence. See His face. Hear Him speak with His eyes.

A lot gets said in a look.

____________________________

Hmmm…
“We’re trained to use our minds to get information and complete assignments; but the God revealed to us in Jesus and our Scriptures is infinitely personal and relational. Unless we take the time to be quiet, in a listening way, in the presence of God, we never get to know him.” Eugene Peterson

“Morning, Mr. Blister”

The podcast this week at the end of this article answers the question: “Is the Bible really an expression of God’s heart?”

The boss storms into the office,
a scowl plastered firmly on his face.

Good morning Mister Blister,” his secretary chirps. “Good morning!” he shouts. “Today, I want you to work on the Smith account!” he continues, his angry voice rattling the cups next to the coffee maker as he stomps into his inner office.

Yes sir,” his gray-haired secretary giggles.

Later that morning his secretary tip toes into his workplace to find him on the phone with a client. “It costs $3,000! What do you want me to do? Make an exception for you?” he says in a challenging tone. There’s a brief pause then, “If you want our product you’ll pay our price. Goodbye!” he slams the phone down.

What do you want now?” “Ah, Mister Blister,” the smiling lady says. “These papers need your immediate attention.” “Leave them on the desk, I’ll get to them when I get to them!” “Yes sir,” she sings and floats airily out of the small office.

“Wait, wait, wait!”
you exclaim. “What is this? The nuthouse?

That’s not all. Listen to the boss communicate later that day with his wife: “What have you been doing all day long? This house is a mess!” And his dog: “Out of my way!” (kick!) “Why are you always underfoot?”

And take a peek at the secretary as she speaks to a client later that day, “Oh, you can’t pay the $10,000 you owe us? That’s okay. You just hang in there. If it’s today, next year or ten years from now, you’ll get there.” And to a fellow who was stealing her car, “You know you shouldn’t do that,” she chides gently. “But I do hope it serves you as well as it has me.

By now you think that both of them need counseling—and you’re right.

Content and Form

We need to adjust our way of communicating to the situation. Sometimes form is as important as content. You don’t scream at friendly secretaries and clients. You don’t cajole thieves politely.

Paul understood this. He knew the Corinthian church well and when they needed it, he scorched them. “But for right now, friends, I’m completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealings with each other and with God. You’re acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast …” (1 Cor. 3:1) Paul could speak frankly with them because of the years he had lived with them. They knew each other well and they knew Paul loved them.

He didn’t live that long with the Galatians but they were in danger of losing everything they had with God, so he practically shouted at them: “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?” (Gal. 3:1)

One the other hand, the Thessalonians faced a searing trial of persecution. Paul had lived there only a few weeks and had been chased out by the persecutors. The tone of voice he used with the Thessalonians was completely different.

“We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” (1 Thessa. 1:8)

Tone, timing, volume, and expression communicate as well as content.
A friend one shared a “conversation” he had with his dog. It went something like this. With a big smile he says, “You are the stupidiest thing that ever walked on four feet.” The dog wags his tail and pants happily. Then he puts an angry expression on his face and growls, “You are the most wonderful animal I ever saw.” The dog cowers in fear.

Like Paul, we need to make sure that we use the right style of communication to relay our message. We shouldn’t use a bazooka to kill a mosquito, neither should we try to down a rhinoceros with a bb gun. Our way of communicating often says as much as our words. Moms and dads need to remember that when they correct their children. Couples need to remember that when they disagree. Friends in the Lord need to remember that when they don’t see things the same way. Leaders need to remember that when correcting others.
AND DON’T YOU FORGET IT EITHER!!!

Okay??? (little bitty voice)