Sometimes folks won’t listen to reason. Especially when a course is set and you come along messing with their plans. Jeremiah faced such an audience as he warned his nation again and again about an impending disaster:

Zedekiah son of Josiah was made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.

Jeremiah preached to deaf ears. Not only did king and court ignore him, they beat and imprisoned Jeremiah. He faced a hostile audience whenever he opened his mouth to proclaim the truth burning in his bones.

We often speak with unwilling listeners as well. What recourse do we have in those situations when we know change is necessary but no one’s paying attention?

In the back pages of my Bible, James carves through spiritual indifference. He wrote, is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray…The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

When folks don’t listen, it’s time to pray. Of course, we should pray before we speak as well. Prayer surrounds conversations where godly wisdom ascends above human pride. I need to remember that prayer paves a better path than my argumentation.

James also points out the promise of prayer—whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Jeremiah preached and prayed and yet never turned Zedekiah from his error-filled ways. Despite our best attempts, people possess free will and sometimes choose to ignore the word of the Lord.

Let that reality redouble our efforts. The death those around us face is real. Speak up and go to the Lord again. Our prayers, joined by the Spirit of God, may indeed prove powerful and effective.

Jeremiah 37 & James 5 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Serhat Beyazkaya