FCS Commencement Address

Our youngest son just graduate High School. He has, for four years, attended Franklin Classical School, founded by our pastor Dr. George Grant.

Below is the commencement address he delivered to the graduating class.

FCS Commencement Address
Dr. George Grant
Saturday, May 26, 2007

Jay Parini argues in the latest edition of Chronicle of Higher Education that graduation speeches really do matter. He makes note of what makes a good one--and what makes a poor one. Alas, when I wrote my speech for the Franklin Classical School graduation, I had not yet read Parini's comments and as a result was unable to heed his counsel.

Nevertheless, I am ready to plunge ahead, with only a little temerity, to give my speech this afternoon, come what may:

According to speech writing wiz Peggy Noonan, “The commencement address is the unique and exclusive province of the great American cliché.” Likewise, according to stump speech veteran Cal Thomas, “The real key to a good graduation talk is the creative use of one cliché after another.” Indeed, commencement speeches can all too easily fall prey to an almost Seinfeldian parody of rhetorical composition:

You are the leaders of tomorrow; This isn’t the end; it’s a new beginning; You came into this school as strangers and are leaving as friends; Cherish this moment; You’ll look back and say that these were the best days of your lives; You’re now turning an important page in the story of your lives; Now begins the next chapter; You’re going to step through these doors and into the real world; Today is the first day of the rest of your life; Be true to yourself; Reach for the stars; You can be anything you want to be; You can do anything you put your mind to do; You can be president someday, or usher in world peace, or end poverty, or maybe even end global warming and patch the hole in the ozone; So, wish upon a falling star; You only go round once in life so grab for all the gusto; You deserve a break today, so get up and get away; Plop, plop fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is; Somewhere over the rainbow; Twinkle-twinkle little star; Keep in touch, do good work, always say please and thank you, be strong, take heart, and standfast, remember to fasten your seat belt, eat a good breakfast, don’t play your iPod too loud; brush after every meal; and always, always, wear sunscreen; Yada, yada, yada.

Now, the thing about clichés is that they are perfectly satisfactory and perhaps in some strange way even satisfying as long as we don’t think about them too much. But, then you see, that is precisely the problem with trying to give a commencement speech to a group of FCS students—you think. Clichés, hackneyed phrases, pat answers, bromides, and truisms just won’t do—not here, not now, not with the likes of you in the crowd.

John Buchan once said, “Our greatest inheritance, the very foundation of our civilization, is a marvel to behold and consider. If I tried to describe its rich legacy with utmost brevity, I should take the Latin word humanitas. It represents in the widest sense, the accumulated harvest of the ages, the fine flower of a long discipline of Christian thought. It is the Western mind.”

At FCS, you have been brought again and again to consider, by various means, this great legacy. And when you first began to apprehend it, you were thereafter forever changed. Though you remain regular American teenagers, you have suddenly found that you can think. I mean, really think.

In other words, you have been ruined. Ruined in the sense that your pop-culture spam filters are now set on high—whether you like it or not. Now, if that is itself at risk of becoming clichéd—right up there with “ideas have consequences; worldviews matter; the right thing done in the wrong way will always result in disaster; if a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly, etc, etc,” well, so be it. Some truisms really are true.

G.K. Chesterton once quipped that, “The great intellectual tradition that comes down to us from the past was never interrupted or lost through such trifles as the sack of Rome, the triumph of Attila, or all the barbarian invasions of the Dark Ages. It was lost after the introduction of printing, the discovery of America, the coming of the marvels of technology, the establishment of universal education, and all the enlightenment of the modern world. It was there, if anywhere, that there was lost or impatiently snapped the long thin delicate thread that had descended from distant antiquity; the thread of that unusual human hobby: the habit of thinking.”

At FCS you have learned to darn the frayed ends of that venerable old thread back together again. You’ve learned how to think. And that has made all the difference.

You have been given much: You’ve received an amazing inheritance of Art, Music, Literature, and Ideas, of Philosophy, of Science and of Mathematics. You’ve received a tradition of excellence. You’ve been taught what it means to have both passion and purity. You’ve learned of the essence of chivalry, valor, and godly servant-leadership.

You’ve also been the beneficiaries of an extraordinary web of relationships. You’ve begun to understand that classical education is more about a culture than it is about a curriculum. It’s more about a way of life than it is a way of doing. It’s more a vision of what God’s called you to than it is a mechanical set of prescriptives that are to be implemented in your life. It is about accountability, about community, about the rich covenant into which you have been grafted by God’s good providence.

Arthur Quiller-Couch, the mentor of a host of literary luminaries including C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, and Dorothy Sayers once described what you’ve received in this fashion, “You are indeed the heirs of a remarkable legacy--a legacy that has passed into your hands after no little tumult and travail; a legacy that is the happy result of sacrificial human relations, no less than of stupendous human achievements; a legacy that demands of you a lifetime of vigilance and diligence so that you may in turn pass the fruits of Christian civilization on to succeeding generations. This is the essence of the biblical view, the covenantal view, and the classical view of education. This is the great legacy of truth of which you are now the chief beneficiaries.”

Therein lies your ruination. And it is a glorious ruining indeed. We are a blessed people in a blessed community. And that is no cliché. This truism is true. Let us therefore give thanks to the Giver of every good and perfect gift: thanks be to our Sovereign Lord!

I do indeed give Him thanks. For you and for your ruination!

Washington on Immigration

“[B]y an intermixture with our people, [immigrants], or their descendants, get assimilated to our customs, measures and laws: in a word, soon become one people.” —George Washington

Chesterton on Worldliness

"If the world grows too worldly, it can be rebuked by the church; but if the church grows too worldly, it cannot be adequately rebuked for worldliness by the world." - G. K. Chesterton

The Path to Political Change

“The natural cure for an ill-administration, in a popular or representative constitution, is a change of men.” —Alexander Hamilton

Wanna be in Business for Yourself?

Good stuff here!

Perry

Twelve Essentials for Building a Successful Company

By JP Maroney

Over the past few years, a tremendous number of people have jumped into the entrepreneurial world as a result of corporate down sizing, economic shifts, and changes in perception about what a career should really be like. As a result, many people who saw business ownership as an opportunity to enjoy more freedom in their lives, control their days, and do what they want to do with no boss to answer to, have now reached the realization that success in business also comes with a big price tag.

I've started and run five businesses. The first three failed miserably, the fourth I successfully built then sold, and the fifth is my existing professional development company. Through it all, I've learned that to be a successful business builder, you must make certain commitments. But, the rewards can be well worth the price. Here are twelve essential commitments necessary for entrepreneurial success.

1. FOCUS. Success in business requires tremendous focus. I see many "wanna-be" entrepreneurs fail in this area. They try to pursue more than one idea at a time. You can never be truly effective if you spread your resources between multiple ventures. I met one guy a while back who claimed he owned five different businesses. The crazy thing was not one of them was successful. I'm not surprised. I learned the hard way that in order to maximize your effectiveness you must focus on one idea at a time, and make that one idea work. Then you can free yourself to move to another idea. Stay focused if you want to succeed in business.

2. RISK. The stakes are very high in business. You can win big or lose everything. But, I've always said that if you never try it, you'll never know. Right? Everyone makes mistakes. We all fail once in a while. But, failing to take risks paralyzes your possibility for success. I have a business associate who now runs a leading agency within his industry. But for years he put off taking the plunge because he feared the risk involved. Even now, I find him paranoid about the potential failure, even though his agency is the most successful operation within his market. If you are unwilling to accept risks, entrepreneurship is definitely not for you.

3. DETERMINATION. In my experience, the one thing that has kept me going even when I couldn't see the prospect of success has been my high level of determination. I find that a persistent attitude will give you the greatest edge for success in business. Why? Because when nothing is going as expected, you have to stay committed to your dreams, your vision, your goals, your passion. You must determine in your heart that you will stick with your plan in spite of the obstacles. Very few things ever work out as originally expected. That is especially true in business. But, determination will help you stick with it until you discover the right way that does work.

4. FLEXIBILITY. I like to compare running a business to skiing moguls. You stand at the top of the mountain, choose the path you think is best, then take off. But, as you descend the mountain, you must constantly adjust your course, make changes, and absorb unexpected bumps. Your mind must be alert. Your eyes must constantly look for new opportunities. And, your body must remain flexible enough to make immediate changes in direction. In business what worked yesterday, or looked like it would work, may no longer apply today. We must be flexible enough to adapt to new ways of doing business, new methods of marketing our products, and new ways of assembling teams. If we become too rigid and set in our ways, "the business mountain" will break us.

5. WILLINGNESS TO LEARN. In nearly every presentation I deliver I tell the audience that there are three kinds of people in this world; stupid, smart and successful. The stupid people never learn from their own mistakes. The smart people do. But the successful people learn from the mistakes of others. I used to tell my partners that "I don't mind making mistakes in business, I just don't want to make the same mistakes. And I don't want to make the same mistakes other people have made if I can avoid them." Smart business builders constantly learn from their mistakes, and seek to make immediate changes. The truly successful ones also study the results of other people and organizations to discover what has worked and what has not, in an effort to avoid making mistakes which have already been made. I suggest you build alliance with other people within your industry who are not in direct competition with you. Learn from each other. Share with each other what is and isn't working. Being willing to learn is a key characteristic of succes in business and in life.

6. CHARISMA. Very soon you realize that in order to be successful in business you need other people. But not just any people…the right kind of people. You need people who "buy-in" to your vision for the company, and treat the organization as if it is their own. Attracting those types of people requires charismatic leadership. Charismatic leaders primarily attract the very best people because of their enthusiasm. People want to be part of something that is happening. You may have heard the phrase that nobody wants to get on a train that's going nowhere. They want to contribute to a worthwhile operation. And, I'm not just talking about people who work for you. I'm also talking about mentors, stategic partners, vendors, customers, firends, business associates, and other people who you can get excited about your vision. If you can express your excitement openly and effectively, you have a much better chance of attracting the best people to your organization.

7. ACCOUNTABILITY. One myth of business ownership is that you no longer have to answer to anybody. The idea is that as soon as you go into business for yourself you suddenly become "boss free." What a joke. The moment you declare your independence as a business person you immediately acquire a new set of bosses, or at least a new set of people to whom you are accountable. They include but are not limited to employees, vendors and customers. And that's OK. There's nothing wrong with being accountable. In fact, we should embrace it, and use it to motivate ourselves. You've probably also found that you're much harder on yourself than any boss would ever be. Be accountable to other people and to yourself. And build your success on that accountability.

8. BELIEF. Success as a business builder requires a tremendous level of belief. Belief in yourself, your ideas, your products, your people and your vision. This belief is so important because early on you may not see the tangible results of your efforts. In the meantime you must believe that what you are doing is worthwhile. You must believe it is the right thing for you to do. When people ridicule you and say you are crazy for pursuing your dreams, stay true to yourself and believe in what you can accomplish.

9. PASSION. Put aside the plans. Put aside the products. Put aside the people. But, one thing you can never be without is passion. In order to succeed you must be passionate about what you do. Your passion is your reason why. I tell people that if they have trouble standing firm in the midst of setbacks or pressure, they need more reasons why. Your reasons why are the fuel that keeps the flame of your desire burning. Your reasons why keep you excited when nobody else is excited. Your reasons why are your passion. If you need more passion, build a long list of reasons why you do what you do, and then read that list everyday.

10. VISION. Truly successful business builders have tremendous vision. They see opportunity in the distance when other people see nothing. They visualize their dreams and goals coming true even when there are no visible results. The visionaries are the people who make their mark in history. They refuse to allow the tides of the times to influence their actions. Instead they take measurable steps each day to reach and achieve their goals.

11. RESPONSIBILITY. Business builders take personal responsibility for their own success. They don't sit around waiting for someone else to make it happen. They go out and make it happen. This is the sign of a successful entrepreneur. You won't find them making excuses for why they can't succeed. Instead, you will find them looking at themselves for ways they can improve their results. They take personal responsibility for their own actions and their own success.

12. VULNERABILITY. This one is tough. Nobody likes to be vulnerable, especially not high achievers. But the ultra successful entrepreneurs recognize their own vulnerability. They admit that they don1t know everything. They realize they have not "arrived," even when they may look successful. They understand the potential for changes in the market, new trends and economic shifts. As a result they acknowledge their own vulnerability and take specific steps to prepare for the unforeseen.

By now, you realize that free enterprise carries a high price. The rewards can be incredible, and the lifestyle very fulfilling. But the opportunity is also extremely demanding. Understanding the price one must pay for success in business is a great step in the direction of success as a business builder.

Theocracy is an Inescapable Concept

By R.J. Rushdoony

http://www.chalcedon.edu/articles/article.php?ArticleID=2726

Tierney, in discussing The Crisis of Church and State, 1050–1300, observed in passing that “theocracy is a normal pattern of government.”1 More distinctly, we must say that theocracy is the normal pattern of government, in that men, whatever the form of polity they adopt, see it as right and ultimate; authority is given in a variety of names, e.g., the dictatorship of the proletariat, the consent of the governed, the general will, the divine right of kings, and so on, but in each case the form expresses the rightness of things. The god who rules may be a man, a class, a race, or a majority, but it is still a form of ultimate power. The word democrat comes from demos, people, and kratos, usually rendered as rule but which can also mean to take possession; thus, democracy means that the people take possession and rule. Sovereignty and rule are attributes of God, and to claim the right to rule in one’s own name is a claim to sovereignty or divinity. As Fritz Kern pointed out, medieval thinking, until quite late, regarded sovereignty as an attribute of God alone: “[T]he people in the Middle Ages were no more regarded as ‘sovereign’ than was the monarch … The monarch, on the one hand, and the community on the other, are joined together in the theocratic order in such a way that both are subordinate to God and to the Law.”2

False theocracies are the rule of men; true theocracy is the rule of God’s law in men and over men. True theocracy requires a very limited church and state. Giving more power to men, either privately or institutionally, is no substitute for the rule of the triune God in the lives of men.

We are told of Cardinal Richelieu that there was madness in his family. The cardinal himself, in “his spells of mental aberration,” thought himself to be less than a man; he “imagined himself to be a horse.” Richelieu’s elder brother, a half-wit, feeble-minded and delusionary, believed that he was the first person of the Trinity. Richelieu took this brother out of his Carthusian monastery and made him the Cardinal-Archbishop of Lyon.3

Such madness is a dramatic and compelling fact. However, all claims to sovereignty by men and their institutions are even more insane, however routine and humdrum their expressions. Such bland and colorless insanity is in fact far more dangerous than the more dramatic expressions of madness.

Friedrich and Blitzer have seen the origins of the modern state in large part in the idea of “reason of state.” (This was not a new idea in the modern era, but it certainly took on new meaning.) It was popularized by the Jesuit Giovanni Botero (1540–1617) in Della ragione di stato (1589) and was quickly popular. It facilitated the shift from ethics to politics, or the blending of the two.4 In the modern state, the core of power has been found in “developing effective bureaucracies.”

In the 1970s, while lecturing in Washington, D.C., I referred adversely to bureaucracies to an audience which included such men. They were very unhappy, but, at the same time, gracious and courteous in their objections in a private discussion which followed. Their thesis was a very interesting one. First, they made it clear that, from their perspective, a bureaucracy does not initiate policies but simply develops the implications of congressional legislation. Second, they said, the men in a bureaucracy prefer anonymity and dislike public attention. While some like to see their names appended, with other names, to a document, the majority do not. For them, an impersonal approach is best, because all actions must be seen as departmental actions or policy decisions. A personal stance defeats the function of a bureaucracy. Third, contrary to the opinion of many, whether the bureaucrat is in the Internal Revenue Service or elsewhere, he is usually a quiet and timid man, one who prefers to perform an anonymous task rather than gain public attention.

The sincerity of the men could not be questioned. They saw themselves as each performing a limited task in a limited place. What was, however, equally clear, was their sense of public duty and mission. This is a noteworthy fact. During the age of Pope Alexander VI and his son Cesare Borgia (1458–1507), a great advance was made in the efficiency of the Vatican and its various arms. Almost a century later, Pope Sixtus V spoke of “St. Peter, Alexander, and Ourselves,” thereby summing up church history in three names. In the mid-seventeenth century, Urban VIII cited four: “St. Peter, St. Sylvester, Alexander, and Ourselves.”5 In terms of the administrative history of the papacy, there was good reason for this high rating given to Alexander VI. However, in terms of faith and morals, Alexander merits an abysmally low rank! Men working under Alexander VI could, however, have had a strong sense of public duty and mission, very much like our modern bureaucrats. In both cases, men could have vindicated their calling as service to an essentially and morally valid institution.

Both in church and state, the issue is a very important one, and at stake is a controversy which came into sharp focus in the Donatist controversy. During the latter half of the third century, and well into the fourth, the struggle raged. During a time of persecution many churchmen apostatized in fear, but later repented. The Donatists opposed the reentry of the “lapsed,” whereas the Catholics favored it. At stake also was the validity of such things as baptism when performed by a priest who lapsed. The Catholics held, as have Protestants since, that the validity of baptism rests, not on man, but on God. Therefore baptisms performed by a lapsed priest did not become invalid.

The issue that was not faced then nor since is this: what happens if the priest continues as a lapsed man, i.e., continues to be faithless and disobedient? Assuming that his baptisms, i.e., the baptisms he officiates at, are valid, can a people continue to seek baptism from such a man? Catholics of Alexander VI’s day believed him to be an atheist, and the church, like him, corrupt. It was said, “Do you want to ruin your young son? Then make a priest of him.” Alexander had illegitimate children.6

What is the duty of a man in such a context: in church or in state? The Donatist controversy concerned the restoration of repentant lapsed men. What is the moral requirement of men when unrepentant pastors and priests control the church, and when equally ungodly men control the state?

In the area of the church, men have some choice, in that Protestants still have some evangelical and orthodox churches they can join. Roman Catholics have some Eastern churches whose validity they can recognize. What happens in the area of the state? The modern state is either openly or covertly godless; it has legalized abortion and homosexuality, and, increasingly, euthanasia. Shall the Christian abandon civil office in the bureaucracy because a public duty and mission is now a godless one? Or should he work from within to try to change the course of state in some small way?

We find, in Paul’s letters, reference to civil officials who served an evil empire. In Philippians 4:22, “Caesar’s household” may refer to what we would call cabinet-rank officials. Another citation of a Christian official is in Romans 16:23, “Erastus the chamberlain of the city,” which city may have been the corrupt Corinth. Such references are important. Christians then were not pietists who withdrew from the world, or failed to apply their faith to the world and their calling. We know that these men in the generations following the apostolic age at times died for their faith.

Neither a mindless obedience nor a mindless resistance are godly. In current church and state battles, the startling fact at times is the eagerness of some churchmen to batter over absurdities while neglecting central issues.

At stake is an issue which the early church faced, the issue of lordship or sovereignty. The church’s response was, “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil. 2:9–11), not Caesar. For Christians, theocracy must be the normal pattern of all government, in every sphere of government, because God alone is Lord or sovereign. It is basic to the madness of our time, and of all apostate history, to assert the sovereignty of man, or of the state (Gen. 3:5).

The problem with bureaucracies in church and state is that men ascribe to them an area of necessity which is godlike. God’s Kingdom will not end, nor His sovereignty diminish, if churches and states collapse, because all things depend on Him, and He depends on nothing. Isaiah declares:

13. Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counseller hath taught him? 14. With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? 15. Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. 16. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. 17. All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. 18. To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? (Isa. 40:13–18)

To serve God requires a high seriousness, but not self-importance. Theocracy is the normal pattern of life in every sphere, and the rule of God must govern all our actions. All things must be subordinate to God and His covenant law.

1. Brian Tierney, The Crisis of Church and State, 1050–1300 (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1964), 131.

2. Fritz Kern, Kingship and Law in the Middle Ages (Oxford, England: Basil Blackwell, 1939), 10.

3. Aldous Huxley, “The Lust for Money and Power,” in Theodore K. Rabb, ed., The Thirty Years’ War (Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath, [1964] 1972), 141.

4. Carl J. Friedrich and Charles Blitzer, The Age of Power (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, [1957] 1970), 7.

5. Clemente Fusero, The Borgias (New York, NY: Praeger, [1966] 1972), 156.

6. Ibid., 204–205.

The Legacy of the Adams

"Statesmen may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand." John Adams

"The only sure and permanent foundation of virtue is religion. Let this important truth be engraven upon your heart." Abigail Adams

"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected in one indissoluble bond, the principles of the civil government with the principles of Christianity. From the day of the Declaration the American people were bound by the laws of God, which they all, and by the laws of the Gospel, which they nearly all, acknowledged as the rules of their conduct." John Quincy Adams

Good Counsel

“Every child in America should be acquainted with his own country. He should read books that furnish him with ideas that will be useful to him in life and practice. As soon as he opens his lips, he should rehearse the history of his own country.” —Noah Webster

Do Your Duty

"Do your duty in all things . . . . You cannot do more; you should never wish to do less." Robert E. Lee

Quotes for Reflection

"Modern masters of science are much impressed with the need of beginning all inquiry with a fact. The ancient masters of religion were quite equally impressed with that necessity. They began with the fact of sin—a fact as practical as potatoes. Whether or no man could be washed in miraculous waters, there was no doubt at any rate that he wanted washing." —G.K. Chesterton

"Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.” —C.S. Lewis

Hard Sayings

Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.—G.K. Chesterton

The hard sayings of our Lord are only wholesome to those who find them hard. Otherwise, they must necessarily be choked upon. —Thomas Chalmers

The fact is, if Christianity is false, it is of no importance; if it is true it is infinitely important. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. —C.S. Lewis

Ordinary Heroes

“On the battlefield, when surrounded and cheered by pomp, excitement, and admiration of devoted comrades, and inspired by strains of martial music and the hope of future reward, it is comparatively easy to be a hero, to do heroic deeds. But to uphold honor in ordinary circumstances, to be a hero in common life, that is genuine achievement meriting our highest admiration.” —Booker T. Washinton

Dare Mighty Things

"Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory, nor defeat." -- Theodore Roosevelt

Hearing But Not Hearing

by Rev. R.J. Rushdoony

California Farmer 255:9 (Dec. 12, 1981), p. 35.

Last week, our youngest daughter and her family were here with us. After the first night, she remarked about the coyotes yipping all night, very close to the house. I have not heard them for years. They are out there all the time, but I am so used to the sound, I no longer hear them. On the other hand, when I visit my daughter, I hear every car which goes up or down the street during the night.

All too often, we hear things without really heeding them. The sounds are there, but we are so familiar and indifferent to them that we hear without hearing, and we pay no attention to them.

This is what it means to be gospel-hardened. An older meaning of that term is someone who hears the gospel week in and week out without really listening to it. One of the marks of such a gospel-hardened person is that he shows no growth, year after year.

Our Lord says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock” (Rev. 3:20). His knocking is not a pleading to enter but a summons either to communion or to judgment, and He will tolerate no lukewarmness (Rev. 3:15–16). I am almost always lukewarm to the coyote’s voice, unless I think it may threaten the chicks. I dare not be lukewarm to the Lord’s voice.

As a nation, we have long tuned out the Word of God. We buy Bibles in great numbers but do not read them. We hear the Word of God, and we listen with sleepy ears. This means that we treat His Word as no more important than all the other words around us.

We need rather to say, when we read His Word, or hear it read in church, Lord, “Speak; for thy servant heareth” (1 Sam. 3:10).

Hearing and Speaking

by Rev. R.J. Rushdoony

Our Lord declares, “He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:47). In other words, our hearing depends upon our faith; our lack of faith will make it impossible for us to hear what God says. Because God’s Word is an indictment of fallen man, man rejects it and closes his mind to it. What we are determines how we hear, and also how we speak. In 1364, Petrarch wrote of the visit of a philosopher who came to him in his library. Petrarch said of him, “He was one of those who think they live in vain unless they are constantly snarling at Christ or his divine teachings.” In the midst of a Christian civilization, this philosopher would only listen to the followers of Averroes, not of Christ.

What we say reveals our heart. It tells others what is important in our lives, and also what we listen to.

Our world is bigger than the daily news, or the daily gossip. It is God’s world, and it accomplishes His purpose. The old saying is true: “Man proposes, God disposes.” If we listen only to men, our hearts and lives will be soured, because the turmoil, pride, and sin of men’s hearts will be expressed daily.

To hear the Lord is to hear the word of grace, peace, and victory, and it enables us to speak the word of grace to others. We are conduits and channels, and what passes through us can have a wide influence, or a narrow one, for good or for evil.

Our Lord says, “[E]very idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matt. 12:36). The word translated as “idle” means worthless, anti-work, a word that does not good. Speaking and hearing are religious matters!