“Up to this point they listened to him, but then they shouted, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23 And while they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and tossing dust into the air, 24 the tribune directed that he was to be brought into the barracks, and ordered him to be examined by flogging, to find out the reason for this outcry against him. 25 But when they had tied him up with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who is uncondemned?” Acts 22:22-25

“What does it mean to be easily entreated? It means to be kind and just and reasonable and self-sacrificing in one’s attitude toward others. The man who possesses this quality habitually manifests this temper in his life. There are those who are very tenacious of their rights. They feel that people do not respect those rights as they should; so when any question involving them arises, they feel as though they must “stand up for their rights.” They often lose sight of everything else; kindness, mercy, forbearance, patience, Christlikeness—in fact, nothing counts but their rights. Their rights they will defend; and very often their rights prove to be wrongs, or in insisting on their rights they do that which wrongs others. Really spiritual people are not so particular and insistent concerning their rights. They would far rather sacrifice their rights than to contend for them, unless something vital is involved, which is rarely the case. When a spiritual man is compelled to defend his rights, he will do it in a meek and quiet way, a way that has in it nothing offensive or self-assertive. When they were about to scourge Paul unlawfully, his only assertion of his rights was to quietly ask, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?” (C.W. Naylor, “Heart Talks”, p. 162)

When asked of others, would they say about you that you are “Easy to deal with”, or “Difficult to deal with?” Now, you do not have to give your answer to me or to your spouse, or partner, etc. Perhaps you know yourself well enough that you already know the answer. No matter where you go, you will encounter people of both kinds. And, most likely, if you have the choice between two people to wait on you at the coffee shop, and one is easy to deal with the other is not easy to deal with, you most likely will pick the first person in which to give your order – because we all would rather deal with the person who is kind and considerate, rather than the one who is abrupt and cold.

Are you aware of how you come across to others? Do you know you are angry all the time, or negative, or cheery, or positive? Does it cross your mind that how you are feeling at the moment will come out in your responses and interactions with others?

Jesus did say “Blessed are the Meek” – “Blessed are the Praeis” — “the meek”, the powerless, those who find a balance between kindness and being a door mat. You see, being easy to deal with does not mean you are always a door mat. You can be kind, easy going, and considerate and still stand up for your rights as a person, and as a Christian.

Pastor Dave

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: 2 proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. 5 As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5

“When it comes to gossip and idle tales and foolish conversation and things of that sort, we ought to let such go “in at one ear and out at the other”; we should be very careful that they find no lodging-place in our hearts. That is the only safe way for our souls. But too often these things are given a place in the heart and mind: there is too good a connection, and many times there is only too ready a response in the heart for such things. That is why some people can never keep spiritual, and are always lagging behind others. People who have such a good connection and responsiveness in their hearts on these lines usually have very poor connection between their ears and their hearts when it comes to the teachings of the Word of God. They can hear the Word preached on almost any subject, and not seem to think it means them. They go along in their lives just as they had been doing before. They feel no particular responsibility to obey. They can go on just as if they had never heard, and still profess, and possibly shout occasionally. The Bible warns us to take heed how we hear. If we do not treat the preaching of God’s Word reverently, and listen with reverent hearts to his messages, it is because we do not reverence him. It is because in our hearts we are lifted up against him.” (C.W. Naylor, “Heart Talks”, p. 151-153)

We have a cat that is always scratching her ears. If you pet her head, she will shake her head violently and scratch her ears. If you let her sit on your lap, after a few minutes she will get up and scratch her ears. We have had her looked at, and she just has itchy ears. Having itchy ears for humans has mostly been a metaphor for wanting to hear a doctrine or an idea that only fits your worldview, or ideas, or your views of G-d. I am sure you have known someone in your life who just was never satisfied with an explanation about something – whether it is the fact that the moon landing was real, or in regards to who shot JFK, or whether Jesus actually rose from the tomb. And, I am also sure that you knew or actually know someone whom seems to live their life taking information “in one ear and letting it go out the other.” This is how too many people approach their faith lives: they come to services and the sermon goes in one ear and out the other. They talk to their friends who are suffering, and the information goes in one ear and out the other. In other words, nothing goes into their ears and straight to their heart.

So, how is it with you? Are you one of those who have the connection broken between the ears and the heart? Or do you have listening ears and a feeling heart? When you hear the Word of G-d preached, does it stick, or does it exit stage left? When you read the Word or listen to the plight of your neighbors, do their pleas sink deep into your conscience and take hold there, setting for a spell and actually beginning to produce fruit in your life?

We should always strive to allow the Word of G-d to not only enter our ears, but also enter our hearts as well. When we do, we have a better change of that same Word transforming our hearts, and our actions.

Pastor Dave