Mute

I was trying to get my students to think of the antithesis of sound yesterday and they could not come up with it.

In Luke 1, the first person we meet is Zechariah, a priest. He is visited by an angel, who gives him astounding news, to which Zechariah, a righteous man, understandably expressed incredulity. The sign he was given to prove this word would come to pass was his own muteness. He did not take a vow of silence. Silence was thrust upon him until his son was born. By this he came to believe that the word had come from God. A gestation of silence.

I wonder how much talking would be left in our world if all who are dubious about the veracity of the Word of God were struck mute until every word was fulfilled. It seems profound to me that the pathway to belief for Zechariah required him to stop talking.

In the hearing of the Lord

Numbers 11 begins "And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes."

It struck me that there is a qualitative difference between complaining in the hearing of the LORD, and in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving letting our requests be made known to God. He hears both of course, but they do not accomplish the same thing in our hearts, nor does it seem God's ear inclines to these utterances in the same way.

Something like the difference between a parent's response to a request from a whiney discontented child and a parent's response to a request from a contented child for something they need.