Hello....Hello.....are you there?
I'm a wife, mom, grandma, retired teacher, and a child of the King. I am starting this blog as an attempt to open a dialog with other Christians about scripture, hopes, struggles, and victories. I will never attempt to portray that I have all the answers, but the opportunity to share and learn from you was just too much to resist.
It's amazing to me that we serve a Savior that allows us to commune with Him on a regular basis - virtually anytime we take the time to pursue Him. This morning, in bible study, I was reading from James chapter l. From the NIV verses 19-21 say,
"My dear brothers, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth, and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."
As I thought about those words, I realized there is a LOT to be taken from 3 short verses here. I thought about quick to listen and slow to speak. Wow. How many of us REALLY listen anymore? We are all so used to the background noise of the television, radio, or mp3 that we have trained ourselves to "ignore" part of what we hear so that we can attend to other sounds and sights we have around us.
Many studies have been done on whether background noise effects listening skills, with mixed results. I think it does. In my mind, we have a superficiality in both listening and responding to others . We hear "what's on top", but fail to catch the meaning and emotion behind what is being said. We have a lot of things going on at once in a shallow way. Our "pond" of participation may be 3 miles long and 2 miles wide, but it is 1/4" deep. Not only does this effect our relationships with each other, but I believe it makes a profound impact on our relationship with Christ. If we don't really listen to the people around us, how good are we at listening when the voice is the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit within us?
We must be good listeners to hear what we ask to hear from God. Unlike our children, spouses, and friends, His voice is not louder or clearer than the peripheral noise in our life. He speaks to us through His word, other people, circumstances, sermons, and the advice of Christian friends, and our own hearts.
The point is, are we listening?
It's amazing to me that we serve a Savior that allows us to commune with Him on a regular basis - virtually anytime we take the time to pursue Him. This morning, in bible study, I was reading from James chapter l. From the NIV verses 19-21 say,
"My dear brothers, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth, and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."
As I thought about those words, I realized there is a LOT to be taken from 3 short verses here. I thought about quick to listen and slow to speak. Wow. How many of us REALLY listen anymore? We are all so used to the background noise of the television, radio, or mp3 that we have trained ourselves to "ignore" part of what we hear so that we can attend to other sounds and sights we have around us.
Many studies have been done on whether background noise effects listening skills, with mixed results. I think it does. In my mind, we have a superficiality in both listening and responding to others . We hear "what's on top", but fail to catch the meaning and emotion behind what is being said. We have a lot of things going on at once in a shallow way. Our "pond" of participation may be 3 miles long and 2 miles wide, but it is 1/4" deep. Not only does this effect our relationships with each other, but I believe it makes a profound impact on our relationship with Christ. If we don't really listen to the people around us, how good are we at listening when the voice is the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit within us?
We must be good listeners to hear what we ask to hear from God. Unlike our children, spouses, and friends, His voice is not louder or clearer than the peripheral noise in our life. He speaks to us through His word, other people, circumstances, sermons, and the advice of Christian friends, and our own hearts.
The point is, are we listening?
thanks for the exhortation! I certainly need to listen more.
ReplyDeleteBrenda Bennett