July 2023

Hello. I made a rather bold statement in worship on June 25^th. I said that we all had the potential to be better people than we currently are. And that goes for everyone who is breathing air. Our culture seems to be standing at the ready, fists up, ready to fight anyone who invades our personal space.

And we can feel the ramifications of this energy. Everyone is defensive, quick tempered, on edge. Every word is considered carefully…”am I being offended? Impeded? Infringed upon?” I find this exhausting.  And damaging to one’s spirit.  Joy does not get to flourish when we live in constant scrutiny of everything said and done around us.

I have learned in my 54 years on this planet that I am sometimes wrong. Ok, a lot of times I’m wrong. And it is because I just read the headline and not the story.  Or because I stop listening early on, assuming what I will be told. Or because my ingrained beliefs and values put up walls when I should be listening instead.

The number one tool we have in our arsenal to be better people is the gift of listening. How easy is it to listen? Certainly, we can all do that? Yes, we can, as long as we like what we hear.  But what happens when we begin to hear things that we do not like? How good are your listening skills then?

If we are honest with ourselves, we would acknowledge that we need to be better listeners.  For the sake of our peace and for the sake of others.  Active listening helps you better understand another person’s point of view and then perhaps respond better, maybe even with empathy.  We do not have to agree.  We just have to understand.

As we continue to navigate this strange new world we live in, let us remember the words of James, Jesus brother, who said, “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” Another helpful verse comes from Provers 2:2 which says, “Making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding.”

May God bless us all to listen better and therefore love better. Peace.