Hearing The Question

April 27, 2018

“What do you write?” The question was innocuous enough, but I was caught off guard, and simply answered, “I write.” Those who know me know I write sermons, an occasional song, and post a nightly musing on Facebook. The questioner was a poet who was addressing our Friday morning writer’s group. I think he was wanting to know how many of us wrote poetry, but his question rooted out a deeper question for me: “Exactly what DO I write?”

“What do you see?” This question was not at all innocuous. God was the questioner, Amos the hearer. God was teaching him to see beneath the surface, to see what others missed. Amos saw a basket of summer fruit. God saw the end that was coming to the nation. “Summer fruit” sounded similar to the Hebrew word for “the end.” Amos was beginning to see beyond his eyes.

If you were to ask me what I write, I would tell you that I try to see what others overlook, and to plumb the significance of the ordinary in as few words as possible. Sometimes I see it; at other times, I am pretty sure I miss the target. Like tonight. I’ve been thinking about some things I’m seeing, but I believe I’ll save commenting on it for another day. It’s enough for me that I heard the question this morning. Sometimes it’s enough just hearing the right question. I heard it this morning, and am thankful.