"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” Jesus exclaimed in Luke 6:46. In the Message it is translated, "Why are you so polite with me, always saying 'Yes, sir,' and 'That's right, sir,' but never doing a thing I tell you?” I’d give just about anything to hear Jesus' tone of voice and see the expression on His face when He said these words. To me it sounds like He was frustrated, or maybe amused, or possibly being serious in questioning the motivation of those He was addressing.
When we read this in the Bible, we have the advantage of knowing who Jesus is, that He will be crucified and later resurrected. We know that the people hearing Him speak were hearing the very words of God Himself! But the people standing there listening to Jesus didn’t know the rest of the story. They simply had this rabbi telling them profound truths and having to sort through how they should respond. Unfortunately, even though we should know better, we also listen, say “Amen,” and nod, but often don’t actually change our behavior or deeply-held beliefs and attitudes.
I’ve often experienced times where I thought I explained myself thoroughly, and that those who heard me agreed to what I was saying and the plan for moving forward—only to find out later that people didn’t end up doing what I had envisioned. I, of course, am not infallible and I am most often the cause of being misunderstood or having unrealistic expectations. But I’ve experienced the frustration, at times have been amused, and at other times seriously perplexed at the response of others. Did they hear what I said? Did they understand what I meant? Were they serious when they agreed and made a commitment to a plan of action? Was it all real or did I imagine the whole situation? — these scenarios and more are a common thought process I have gone through.
When we read or hear God’s Word, are we responding like these people in this passage or are we genuinely receiving the Word as the instructions of our Lord? Are we being polite and saying “Amen” but inwardly saying “What the heck” or “No way”? If we desire our lives to stand through the storms that come, we must not only hear but also DO what God instructed. I hope that we are able to hear Jesus and respond with genuine obedience and become all that He intends us to be. As James writes, “Don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”