So, last night I was told by my 10-year-old great nephew you never listen to me. First, let’s discuss that word never which is considered an exaggerated word. However, it does seem to make children and adults wear it like some form of empowerment badge to get a point across along with the words always and forever. Stop and think about how many times you use those words in a sentence with your spouse, kids and family and it will make you laugh.
Before I
go any further let me clarify something very important that is difficult for
all of us to sort out at times. The
difference between the word hears and listen. To hear is to physically
experience the sense of sound. As one’s
ear and brain are capable of processing sound waves, one can hear. To listen is to deliberately apply the
ability to hear. One who listens is
thinking about what is heard, what it means, how to respond, and whether to
continue to listen/pay attention.
Now, back
to the scene from last night. (smile) My great nephew was trying to convince me
to allow him to stay up later because he has been home sick with strep throat
and can’t go to school. I explained to
him that because he has been sick he really needs the rest. I don’t need to
tell you how he felt about that. Ha,ha,ha, I did allow for some extra time
beyond his normal school bedtime, which of course was not enough. Thus, the rant of you never listen to me. I
thought, hey this is a good opportunity to plant a little seed of wisdom in his
heart. I said, May I share something
with you? He conceded even though he didn’t want to listen. Ha,ha,ha I said, I hear you and I’m listening to you.
What I’m not doing is agreeing with you. So, just because I don’t agree with
you doesn’t mean I’m not listening. Well, I left the room with him continuing
to say you are not listening to me.
Knowing that seed probably isn’t going to take root. Ha, ha, ha
But this
morning as I thought back over our interaction I almost had to laugh out
loud. Heck, we live in a society today
that functions in that same mentality.
If I don’t agree with you or see it the same way you do, then supposedly
I am not listening, narrow minded, judgmental, critical, mean and an awful
person. Be prepared to be told those
things more and more in the days ahead as we await HIS coming. Because if you
choose to stand for Truth that means you are out of the majority and in the
boat of the minority. There are going to be many more things we don’t agree
with in the future!
So, maybe
the next time someone tells you “you’re not listening” consider if that is true
or is it that you just don’t agree with them.
His,
Vickie
P.S. We
have seven spots still open for the Portugal 2023 Retreat. Make sure to let your overseas missionary
women know about it. Go to www.purejoyinternational.org
click on Here on that page and get more information and the registration form. Dates are April 26-29, 2023
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