Are We Listening?

ValMay ♦ June 22, 2020 ♦ Leave a comment

“Because we listen for the shout, we miss the whisper.”– Max Lucado

Our world is shouting. People are crying out in pain over injustice. People are frustrated over contradictory information on the pandemic. People are polarized over everything from lifestyle choices to political leanings. What can we do? One thing I know for sure is that we can listen. We can listen to the Lord and follow His leading. And we can listen to each other. We all have different callings, different passions and different means of reaching out and helping others. Some of us are on the front lines, interacting with the hurting and the lost. Some do it with a phone call, FaceTime, Zoom, a letter or email or drive by. For others it’s dropping off a meal or cookies to a neighbor, and for others, they are called to pray. (Of course we can all pray and should.)

These are turbulent times. And in turbulent times we need to quiet our hearts and minds and hear the whisper of the Lord. Remember Elijah and how afraid he was after his escape from Jezebel? The Lord told him to stand on the mountain and the Lord passed by- but it was not in the wind, or the earthquake or the fire that He spoke, it was a “still, small voice” (1 Kings 19:12).

Are we listening?

James 1:19 reminds us: “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Are we listening during these times or are we just shouting? Are we listening to those who are hurt and angry; and frustrated, feeling like there is no way out of their situation or are we caught up in the hurt and anger or even frozen in denial? This world needs Jesus. It needs to see His love and compassion for the masses. The world needs to see a people of God who are empathetic and who are trying to understand and willing to listen. Remember these words? “For God so loved the world….”

I am also reminded of Hebrews 12:14 “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

It’s hard to live in a world where opinions are running rampant and justice is corrupt on so many levels. But we have to remember that we are children of the King and live our lives accordingly. We are to live in peace and to not become bitter when people are unkind and antagonistic. None of this should be surprising to a child of God. Jesus said we would face tribulation and be hated for His namesake.

In the midst of this current pandemic and civil unrest, we need to be the voice of understanding, caring, reason and love. And most of all we need to be people of prayer, praying that the Lord would draw the hurting and lost to Him.