What would happen if we chose to listen more than we talk?

As I take my daily lunch walk through the college campus where I work, I am always amazed at the amount of people walking around with earbuds. It’s as though even, a short amount of time not listening to what we actively choose to listen to, has become unacceptable.

It’s the same when I go to the grocery store. People are either listening to their chosen media or talking on the phone, even at the check-out.

It seems as a society, that we want to have constant control over our senses. We want to work at home and not be bothered with the aggravation of co-workers. We want to see only the opinions that agree with our own in the news and on social media and will quickly unfollow anyone who has a different point of view and often choose to insult them in the process.

As much as we all complained about the isolation created by Covid, we have in many ways, created our own isolation bubbles. When someone dares to try to circumvent the carefully built walls of our own opinions, people become defensive and sometimes irate.

In a recent daily devotion, I came upon these verses: “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” James 1:19-20  

They really hit home with me. Maybe all of the anger we see in the world around us is because we have intentionally stopped listening. We are really good at talking, but the listening part, not so much, so when we don’t feel like we are being heard, we just talk more and louder and that frustration feeds anger.

 What if we all were quick to listen and slow to speak? What would that look like? If we were listening more than talking, would we develop more empathy? Would we develop more patience? Would the rampant anger factor start to diminish? 

Maybe we would all learn a little something if we took out the earbuds and stopped scrolling and actually interacted and listened to the people who God has put in our paths. Maybe they are there for a reason. Maybe they have something to teach us. Maybe we have something to teach them.

If we don’t listen, we may never know. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy

The birds choose to sing regardless of their circumstances.

We had a loud thunderstorm one night this week. It was the second round of tornado producing storms that hit the South in just two days. It was around midnight when the thunder began booming. We have two dogs. One is afraid of thunder and he began pacing and whining and scratching to get out the door, which of course, woke up the other pup and she became restless as well.

The noise and the dogs had me up for good portion of the night before the storms finally passed and they were able to settle back down.

I was definitely dragging the next morning as I sat bleary eyed at my kitchen table, drinking my second cup of coffee, desperately wishing it was Friday instead of Thursday.

It was still dark outside and I was trying to focus on the daily devotion I was reading in silence, when I little bird chirped to the top of its lungs. I smiled to myself. I appreciated this early bird’s beacon to embrace the day ahead after such a rough night. After all, he had been outside in the midst of the storm for both rounds. He didn’t have the safety of a house to shelter him. Yet, he was ready to go forth and do his work whatever that may be, with a cheerful song.

It wasn’t but a minute or two, when a chorus of other birds joined him. 

At this point, I stopped reading and gave them my full attention. 

A symphony had begun and I wanted to take a moment to appreciate it.

I thought about those birds for the rest of the day. I thought about how every single one of them had been outside in that thunderstorm and how they chose to celebrate the new day together. They could have remained silent, shuffling around in the dark, wet morning, grumbling about their long night, telling each other stories about how they were almost blown out their nests or about the mess they had to clean up and I felt convicted. 

That’s exactly what I wanted to do. I was tired and grumpy and far from joyful as I sat in my warm dry home with electricity.

I especially, thought about the very first bird to sing. He was the one to get the others going in the right direction. His song led the way.

When I got to work, I sent a couple of emails and texts of encouragement to people who I thought might need it. It required very little effort on my part, but I wanted my song to lead the way. 

I got thankful replies from each one of them. The song of one lone bird in the darkness, reminded me that a single act of encouragement can sometimes be a lifeline to someone who might really need it. Perhaps you needed reminding too!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊