I have often heard her voice. I dial Telkom for a phone number and she is produced by the computer to recite the required number to me. A crisp, well modulated voice that inflects authority, and inspires confidence in her answer. And then today I met her. Not face to fact, but on the radio.
She is Helen Naude. And she was phoned by a radio jock, who pulled a stunt with her. And I learned that she is a poppie from Radiokragbron in Witbank. And she got rattled by his stunt, and was irritated, and lost her familiar voice, and hung up on him. And I laughed. Because I discovered the gap between that which was familiar and comforting, and the new things I was now learning about her. Here is my choice: I can return to dialling the safe number to find that familiar voice, or I can pay attention to new perspectives on the voice.
And I was reminded of how I read the Bible: a familiar voice that inspires confidence – until someone points out a perspective in the Bible that I have not seen. And my familiar voice takes on an unfamiliar note. I believe that when we move beyond the familiar Scriptural voice, we hear new overtones that will lead us into new spiritual growth. And the only way we can discover this is when we are willing to allow the jokers/outsiders/ little people of life to prod us in uncomfortable ways.
May God send many people my way who move me beyond the familiar voice.
1 comment:
Yes, the veneer of the voice makes us and others content but not necessarily human. When we hear the real voice we are disturbed, confused at times, thrown into the real quagmire of life's honest quest. Maybe our congregation should pull s similar stunt to get through the all too contented 'pulpit voices'? :)
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