Is Listening a Lost Art?
I had a chance to listen to a couple of friends this week; both going through crises in their lives. For someone who has always talked for a living, it was nice to put a lock on my mouth and lend an ear for a change. Sometimes all a friend wants is to talk it through.
With the high speed world we live in these days, not too many people build in enough margin into their schedules for time to listen. My experience is a friend will take my call, but there’s usually a call on the other line they have to get to, or an engagement to make, and there just isn’t enough time to hear me out. No wonder emails are so popular. There are no interruptions!
Is listening a lost art?
God also wants us to pull up a chair and hear what He has to say, but we race through our days, mutter a prayer in the morning and maybe one at night, but don’t remain silent long enough to hear His whisper.
Doesn’t Isaiah 30:21 say, And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. It’s hard to hear which way to walk when we have headphones on.
Is there any way to restore the art of listening?
I have one friend who people flock to, simply because she loves deeply and listens closely. I’m one of those in her flock. Lately, she’s listened more than she signed up for with me but I am thankful for her patience.
I want to learn from my friend and do a better job of putting my hurried agenda aside to be a better listener for the people in my life and for God.
What about you? Lisa Burkhardt Worley