Listen

Disinformation has been called “The Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse”. As you will recall, there are “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” As they are presented, the first horseman is on a white horse, carrying a bow, and given a crown; riding forward as a figure of conquest, perhaps invoking Pestilence. The second carries a sword and rides a red horse, creating War. The third is a food merchant riding upon a black horse, symbolizing Famine; he carries The Scales. The fourth rides a pale green horse, and upon it rides Death and Hell. All of which seemed to be the worst that could happen. Though it’s not in the Bible, Disinformation now seems to be one more Pestilence, The Fifth horseman, rides on the human tongue—in its various forms.

The late theologian Dallas Willard said, Practice in not speaking can at least give us enough control over what we say that our tongues do not “go off” automatically. This discipline provides us with a certain inner distance that gives us time to consider our words fully and the presence of mind to control what we say and when we say it. Disinformation amounts to electronic gossip. Remember the old parlor game, “Gossip,” where a phrase is whispered into the ear of one person, who whispers to the next what they thought they heard, and so on it goes around the room. The last person reveals what he/she heard. 99 times out 100, the last phrase is a galaxy away from the original phrase.

To listen is to be fully present to the person—the context, the nuances. My grandaddy often said, “People tend to tell things like they want it to sound.” The following passage from the Book of James, underscores what Willard is saying:  We all make mistakes often, but those who don’t make mistakes with their words have reached full maturity. 

A quick glance of our own experience of a wagging tongue impugns us, if we’re honest about it. Some years ago Paige suggested that I needed a hearing test. I went in for the test. Turns out I didn’t have a hearing problem. Mine was a listening problem! How many times have you shot off a statement (in person or online) without full information and later would give a king’s ransom to take it back, or better, never to have said it!?

Which brings us back to that word, “listen.” Merriam-Webster gives a deeply meaningful definition;  to hear something with thoughtful attention : give consideration. I must confess; too many times I do not listen with thoughtful attention. Nearly always it gives me misery. Jesus often told his followers to “listen” —as in Matthew 15;  It is not what goes into a man’s mouth that makes him common or unclean. It is what comes out of a man’s mouth that makes him unclean.”

The Book of James pulsates with caution about overuse/misuse of the Tongue. Reminds me of an old quip—It is obvious that God meant for us to listen more than to speak; He gave us two ears and one mouth. Ronald Reagan said, Trust, but verify; it can virtually stop disinformation in its tracks. I would add Listen, Trust, but verify.