Brenda’s Blog – October 4, 2022
“Sorry, he wasn’t heying you – he was talking to me.”
As I walked through the grocery the lady directly in front of me stopped dead in her tracks. She looked around with a puzzled expression. Then a store employee walked out of the office, looked at the customer, and apologized.
Living in Texas for years has accustomed me to “fixin’ to,” “y’all,” and especially “all y’all.” But I wasn’t prepared for “heying you.” It made me think about the different ways we get someone else’s attention. I grew up with “hey, you,” was quite familiar with “youse guys,” but it made me smile to see the relief on the customer’s face when she realized she wasn’t being called.
Then I started thinking about the way we communicate with each other – and particularly the way we get attention. We can wave, wink an eye, or even reach out to connect. We can clear our throats with a not-so-subtle “ahem,” or we can politely offer a “pardon me, please.” It is interesting to sit in public places and watch the male/female dance that starts with a quick glance; perhaps move on to a light smile, then if the signals are right, results in lingering eye contact. No words are spoken, but the message is clear.
As I thought about it more deeply I thought about how God contacts us. How does He get our attention? How do we know He has something to say to us? Theologians talk about general and special revelation: the magnificence of nature is there for all to experience. The awesomeness of the Rockies, the powerful roar of Niagara Falls, or the vast plains with their miles of crops… all are unspoken messages from the God of creation shared with everyone. These are examples of general revelation.
Special revelation is indeed that – special. It is a term that talks about the way God communicates with us through the Bible, His written Word, and through Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh to bring us back into relationship after our genetic father Adam lost our access to heaven. There are no heys, howdies, or youse guys – there is just the powerful message that in the beginning God created; and in the incarnation God recreated.
Glorious! Let’s study the Word, let’s hear Him as we pray, and let’s celebrate the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s eagerly share the mystery of the God-man, second person of the Trinity, and Savior. May we be intent on calling to others with the great news of the God who calls us. And may we pray the Holy Spirit is surely “heying” others, bringing them into the Kingdom and into the conversation.