The Next Voice You Hear…
I was reading recently, and a movie was referenced that I had never heard of before. Off to the library I went, but They didn’t have it. But they ordered it through inter-library loan.
It’s a classic black and white from 1950 that follows a working class California family who hears a mysterious voice claiming to be that of God. This voice disrupts radio programs for six days all around the world. As the movie progresses, you find out that everybody hears these messages in their own native tongue.
First God tells them he will be with them a few days, then he expresses his disappointment with humanity. (Days 1 & 2)
God threatens a miracle, and then shocks them by making it storm all over the world for a few minutes. (Days 3 & 4)
Finally Godctells humanity to perform miracles of “kindness and peace” for a day, for which many respond. God is pleased. (Days 5 & 6)
On Day 7, the family sits in a completely packed church awaiting the 8:30pm message from a radio, and there is silence. To this pastor proclaims;
On the seventh day he rested.
Brilliantly, the voice is never heard by the viewer. Instead, daily 8:30pm messages are delivered to others (and the viewer) after the fact by various characters who heard it. I believe this decision was made as each are supposed to share what they heard from the Voice.
One of best parts of this movie is the character development of Joe (Richard Whitmore), Mary (Nancy Davis [Reagan]), and other characters as they come to believe it really is the Voice of God.
But the most poignant line of the movie comes from the young son, Johnny. At first his dad thinks the voice is a hoax perpetrated by a local prankster. When asked if he thought if that kid’s voice sounded like God’s, Johnny answers back, “I don’t know. I never heard God.”
Therein lies the rub. How would we know if God is speaking if we are not listening? And how can we share the good news of a loving God if we are not paying attention.
Go out today and perform miracles of kindness and peace in the name of the Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything!
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