Something Worth Saying.

“Never try to find a place to speak. Try to have something to say.” – Dallas Willard, “Scandal of the Kingdom”

“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,…” – Proverbs 13.20

It was three weeks ago. I wasn’t planning for a life-changing moment, a confirmation of what I believe the Lord has been teaching me for some time. I remember I highlighted and underlined those words from Dallas Willard and then made a note in the front of his book so that I didn’t lose that sentence after finishing it. He went on to say to, “[Jesus] taught me that I could concentrate on that, simply live with him, and count on him to have the effect he wanted. That can be a source of relief, rest, and power for all of us in our work, our congregations, our communities, and all the places we go as Christ’s people.”

For most of my time as a pastor, I wanted to be known as a good preacher. I wanted to be recognized and invited to speak at all of the cool and big places. I wanted to finally “make it” as a pastor. The only thing is this: I wasn’t quite sure how to gauge what “making it” actually meant. I truly wanted to see God do miraculous and transformational things in those I taught. And I loved the things that he was teaching me in my times alone with him. The only thing that made this so dangerous for me was this: I NEEDED to be needed and wanted so that I felt validated. I needed to feel important. I wasn’t content with simply belonging to Jesus. I needed to feel needed by others. And, friends, that is so dangerous and exhausting.

But something has changed in me over the past five or six years, and it’s incredible! I feel like I’ve been freed. While I still battle my ego and pride, trying to find validation in getting to preach, I’m finding more joy and solace in listening and learning. We live in an information-driven world. We have podcasts and YouTube channels for everything. We can search the internet for pretty much anything that we want. And by we, I mean we Christians also – especially pastors. We become quick to speak. We try to get as much information out as possible so that we can “reach the world for Christ” (and yet have we actually defined what we mean by that statement?). We rush at writing blogs and publishing the next book because we are on a mission to change the world. We publish and create at warp speed because that’s how everyone seems to be doing it. But the key question to ask is this: do we actually have anything worth saying? Have we sat long enough at the feet of Jesus, unhurried and in awe, teachable and humble receive, to learn from our Rabbi and Master so that we actually have something worth saying, or do we simply settle for the surface spiritual slogans that we come up with from the few minutes that we have between all of our busyness for the Lord?

So I return to Dallas Willard’s statement above and say, “AMEN!” I want to be someone with something worth saying so I can be prepared to teach others something worth learning when God graciously gives me an opportunity to do so. I don’t want to be one who is trying to push out as much information as possible to keep up with everyone else. Instead, I want to learn the rhythms of Jesus. I want to learn to walk with him at his pace and to speak the things that leave people amazed with him instead of amazed with me. I don’t want to settle for cute Christian bumper sticker theology. Rather, I want to slowly take in and digest the deeper things that Jesus teaches his disciples who are willing to slow down and listen—those who want to learn more from Jesus instead of just learning about him. I still love the opportunities that I get to teach the Scriptures. It is one of the joys of my life. The difference between now and back then is that I’m free to teach as God gives me opportunities for his glory instead of for the stroking of my ego or the validation of me as a minister. I’m free from the frantic pace of trying to “make it” and am able to simply walk with Jesus and be obedient to the opportunities that he makes for me. I’m finding more joy in simply walking with Jesus instead of doing things for Jesus. And while I know that I, along with every other follower of Jesus, am called to a mission to make disciples, I also know that making disciples should not be done at the neglect of first being a disciple. And it’s when we are content with being a disciple of Jesus that he will teach us such beautiful things. Those are the things that are worth sharing. Those are the things worth teaching.

Proverbs 10.19 says, “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.” Yes, this verse is more about taming the tongue (as James reminds us in his epistle). It teaches us that our words can get us into trouble. Because of that there is wisdom in being quiet. But I want to learn and live this in a deeper way. I will still blog and preach the word. I will still upload podcasts for Ignite City Church to share what I believe the Lord is teaching me. But I want to do those things only because I’m sitting quietly and patiently at the feet of Jesus, learning from him things worth saying instead of settling for simply saying things.

Praise God for his faithfulness in teaching us. May he increase our ability and desire to listen and to learn from him.