[This is one in a series of mid-week Reflections published by Horley Baptist Church during October 2020]
In the early 1970s, American singer Don Maclean wrote a song entitled ‘Vincent’, also commonly known as ‘Starry, starry night’. He had been inspired by reading a book about Vincent van Gogh, the Dutch post-impressionist painter. The song reached No 1 in the charts in the UK and in Ireland, and No 3 in Australia and Canada. The lyrics of the song include the lines:
“They would not listen, they did not know how, Perhaps they’ll listen now.”
This raises the question of ‘Who would not listen’? Perhaps for van Gogh it was the experts of the contemporary art world who did not recognise his artistic achievements until after his death. Or perhaps it was those who dismissed him because of his mental illness.
As we look around our contemporary world it does not take long to identify people who are not listening. Children not listening to their parents, spouses not listening to each other, citizens not listening to health advice, experts not listening to divergent views, legislators not listening to common sense, politicians not listening to those who pay their wages … and the vast majority not listening to God.
Jeremiah recognised a similar situation when he wrote:
“Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline”. [Jeremiah 17:23]
The prophet Zechariah came to a similar conclusion:
“They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit”. [Zechariah 7:12]
There is an added irony. In his early years van Gogh had entertained ideas of becoming a pastor like his father. He spent some time as a missionary in a mining community in Belgium and, according to at least one source, in southern England. Was his depression, at least in part, due to his perceived lack of success as a preacher?
When we look again at our modern society, are we optimistic or are we compelled to share Maclean’s closing sentiment:
“They would not listen, they’re not listening still, Perhaps they never will”
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © the Author
