I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in His Word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5
“If we really want to be a countercultural people, I suggest first of all that we simply “shut up and listen.” We listen to our neighbor. We listen to the angry. We listen to the fearful. We listen to the bruised and the broken. We listen, simply listen.
Next, we wait. Patiently. In faith. In hope. All the while we hold forth a flickering but inextinguishable light in the midst of the approaching darkness. We hold tightly to the promised word of the prophet Isaiah: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2). Oh friends, how we need to recapture the good news of the evangel, which brings light to overcome darkness, hope to transform despair, and peace to conquer the violence of this emerging age.
Third, our listening and our waiting leads us to show forth a unique and countercultural way of living and speaking where justice and mercy are extended to all peoples; where prayerful civility conquers angry rhetoric; where compassion reaches out to the poor, the destitute, the hungry; where plain, honest speech overcomes deceit and duplicity; where gentleness, generosity, empathy, and kindness govern our lives, our neighborhoods, and our nations; and where love reigns over all.”
Richard Foster in Casting a Vision: The Past and Future of Spiritual Formation (Denver: Renovaré, 2019) 13-14.
Foster casts a vision for spiritual formation in the times which we live in this free ebook. He suggests that our generosity and kindness must be preceded by listening and waiting to come across as the countercultural people God has called us to be.
Sit and think about that for a bit.
This pathway shows where we place our trust. Those who speak rather than listen and act rather than wait appear as the driving force of any kindness or generosity. Alternatively, those who listen and wait are positioned to live and speak as countercultural people.
Let us discipline ourselves to listening and waiting before living and speaking and see how that shapes our generosity, our kindness, and our love. I suggest reading Psalms throughout the day as well to constantly reset your mind in dark and crazy world.
It was so special yesterday to have many friends and family members gather in our townhouse for Sophie’s college graduation party. The community of love affirmed her accomplishments, and even more importantly, many noted how the journey has shaped her into an amazing woman of God.
We celebrated Peter, her fiancé, and Emily, Sammy’s fiancé, as well. LORD, help us model the way for the next generation to follow us. Help us listen and wait so that they see You and Your power at work through our countercultural living and speaking. Amen.