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 Thursday Thoughts

December 21, 2023

On Sunday, the fourth candle will be lit on the Advent wreath. The candle of Love. We have made our way around the circle by lighting the Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love candles.

In our alternative Advent wreath, the one we have been looking at ways to grow our spiritual life, we are going to rename the last purple candle the Listening candle.

In the book of James 1:19-20, it is written, "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.

Too often we are slow to hear, quick to speak, and quick to anger. Learning to listen well won't happen overnight. It requires discipline, effort, and intentionality. Like any other skill, it improves with practice over time. Becoming a better listener means we have to focus on hearing what the speaker has to say and asking where he is coming from. Sometimes it helps to know something about the person you are listening to.

For example: The elementary class was learning about addition...

The teacher asks little Johnny, "If I give you two cats, and Jimmy gives you two more and Sally gives you two more, how many cats would you have?"

Johnny thinks about it for a few seconds and says, "Seven."

The teacher says, "No, let's try again. Listen carefully. I give you two, Jimmy gives you two more, and then Sally gives you two more."

Johnny spends a few minutes thinking it out, and again says, "Seven."

The teacher says, "Let's try it another way. If I put two apples on your desk, then two more, and then two more, how many apples would you have?"

Johnny says, "Six."

The teacher says, "Good, now if I give you two cats, and Jimmy gives you two more, and then Sally gives you two more, how many cats would you have?"

Johnny again says, "Seven."

The teacher, obviously frustrated, yells at Johnny, "Why do you keep saying seven?!"

Johnny says, "Because... I've already got a cat! And if you give me six more I will have seven!"

Sometimes we have to listen well and ask questions to understand where someone is coming from.

This past summer I went with my family on a trip to Arizona. We visited the Painted Desert, a place so different and so quiet, that I could hear nothing but the breeze blowing through some dried-up weeds. It was one of the most reverent places I have ever been other than on the hillside beside the Sea of Galilee where Jesus taught the multitudes. It was so quiet that I could hear God speak in the quietness. It was better than being in any cathedral or man-made place I have ever visited. There were no distractions and it was so easy to concentrate on God's presence in this vast and empty place, I could hear and feel his awesomeness. No wonder the Native Americans found the wild, open spaces holy. Sometimes I allow myself to go back there in my mind and recapture that beautiful visit. Listening to God may mean sitting quietly and focusing on him, tuning out everything else. He will fill you with his presence.

When dealing with people, it is good to humble ourselves and put another need to speak and be heard over our own. Often we can't wait for the other person to finish speaking because we already know what we want to say and when we do that we may have already stopped listening to them. People have the need to be heard and their opinions valued. On the fourth week of Advent let's practice listening to God and each other.

"Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28

Blessings,

Becky

Bridgewater UMC 

Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!  

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Bridgewater, VA 22812

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