“Take Scripture seriously, not literally.”
– Mike Housholder, Senior Pastor, Lutheran Church of Hope
For a “bonus” DD that e-mails on Sunday morning, perhaps you’ll forgive me for going all “pastor Mike” on you. Actually, that’s your choice. I’m ok with it either way…
Saturday night, Mike and his wife, Sally, delivered an amazingly compelling yet simplistic talk on marriage. (Yes, I realize the connection between “compelling” and “simplistic…”)
I reckon it’s not just Scripture. As long as we’re listening, we’ll be ok, right? A top-three consideration in this blog for nigh on 16 years has been listening, after all. And, if we’re only going to hone in on one skill, there are worse choices.
And, like most skills listening is developed – whether in business or at home. That said, the temptation is there to listen literally, rather than seriously. Literal is easy, and easy can be dangerous if used to absolve us of responsibility when we get it wrong.
As near as I can tell, there are ten matters set, literally, in stone. Everything else is open to critical interpretation — or at least serious consideration.
Example?
Pastor Mike used the example of flowers. For something like 35 years of “happiness trending up” marriage, he’s been asking his wife if “she wants flowers” for whatever special day is approaching. “No, that’s ok…” she has replied. And for better than three decades, he says, he’s listened literally. Oops…
Until…
“I realized that what Sally was saying was she didn’t want me to ask if she wanted flowers…” And every husband in the crowd of a few thousand squirmed in their seat.
Doh. If ever Homer Simpson should feel out-Homer-Simpsoned, well perhaps…
Are there things we’re taking literally that we ought to be taking seriously, instead? Whether in business or at home?
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