Sometimes people scream so loudly that it’s hard to hear what they are saying. Sometimes it’s hard to sort through “loud” behaviors and emotions to really tune in to what they are trying to communicate.
I see it in the world around me, but I also see it in myself and the people I love.
When I yell at my kids, for example, they rarely hear the words I’m saying. The only message they get is that mom is mad, and they should steer clear!
When my teenager yells at his siblings to shut up, and slams the door, the easiest message for me to “hear” is that he is being rude, and needs some instruction or discipline.
But what if I could “hear” past the loud behaviors? What if my emotions didn’t flare up and my ego never got in the way? What would I hear then?
Maybe I would hear a kid who had a really hard day. Maybe I would hear that he is frustrated or hungry or tired.
If I was calm enough and listened hard enough, maybe the Spirit would whisper to me some little insight into his heart. Maybe I would even hear some ideas of how to love and serve this child better.
Maybe listening has less to do with using our ears, and more to do with using our hearts.
