Listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your mother when she is old. … The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.
What does it mean to “listen” here?
That it means “obey”, either obey my mortal parents, or obey Sky Daddy: my Father-In-Heaven who begot me spiritually”, is built entirely on the father figure in the couplets.
The mother’s needs are conveniently forgotten. Yet I am to “not despise [her] when she is old”, when she needs more out of me than she used to, or when I think I know what’s best already.
When I behave in a wise way, she rejoices. It's a much more relationally-driven way to conceptualize “listening”.
Is this what the feminine divine is like? Does the God you know prioritize your obedience to them? Or does she prioritize how you treat her, desiring your respectful attention?
When you act as an authority today, when you want someone to listen to you, pay attention to whether you are seeking obedience or respectful attention.
A faithful life is a relational life. How might you live out the call to listen in relationship today?
--Kate Davoli
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