Ever talk to someone and try to share what’s going on with you or what you’re thinking, and you just know that person isn’t “getting it?” Either they nod in fake interest, or (even worse, in my opinion), they relate back to you something totally off-kilter, based on how they are [mis]interpreting what you said. This is something I call “filtered hearing”–where someone hears you, but their existing mindsets sort of “filter” the information you’re communicating until their brain registers something completely different than what you said.
I get this a lot from church folks in my home town. When someone asks me how or what I’m doing, and I start to share with them some of the same type of stuff I’m blogging about here, I get some who sort of look at me crosseyed, and then I get some who enthusiastically respond with something related to their church, or what their pastor said, or something similar–and they act like it goes right along with what I just shared, but…I just know they didn’t really hear me.
If they had heard me correctly…they probably would have looked at me crosseyed, like those other folks. 🙂
Religion does this to us. It puts mindset-filters over our eyes and ears so we only interpret incoming data in the light of what we already believe to be true. I think that when God tries to give us a fresh perspective on things, or show up and manifest Himself in an unfamiliar way, we often miss it, and we didn’t even know He was there. Why? Because we only see and hear Him through our filters. I think we all have these filters to some extent, and part of growing spiritually is allowing God to remove the filters, layer by layer. Sometimes what we refer to as “getting a revelation” is more about God opening our eyes to something that was already there. Just something to think about…
One other thing to think about today…I lifted this picture from Ben & Heather Cotten’s blog,
live.awake. It speaks to me; I feel like I’m living this picture in some ways. How ’bout you?
Musician. Composer. Recovering perfectionist. Minister-in-transition. Lover of puns. Hijacker of rock song references. Questioner of the status quo.
I'm not really a rebel. Just a sincere Christ-follower with a thirst for significance that gets me into trouble. My quest has taken me over the fence of institutional Christianity. Here are some of my random thoughts along the way. Read along, join in the conversation. Just be nice.
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hi Jeff- I found you through Lyn’s blog. I love the photo, too. It would depict how I feel, if the rider threw aside the training wheels and then discovered a brick wall obstructing the path!
good post. I’ll be back.
This was an excellent post and a view that I needed to hear today.
I have been in some conversations lately that have left me pounding my head on the wall and this explains the reasons ..
filters
I finally stopped talking openly to those filtered hearers after banging heads one too many times.
I’d rather ride down less traveled paths AND without training wheels, please. I’m an adverturer, too.
But did I totally misunderstand your post?? lol
Hmmm…two headbangers left comments. 😀 Yeah, Kool, I think you get me.