Part #5 A Time To Break The Silence

Part #5 A Time To Break The Silence

In my youth I was taught to follow the Lord, as time passed I had walked away from my faith.
Those days are behind me now.  For many year's I've maintained a file folder labeled, "Speaking."
It has become thick with articles, quotations and illustrations that might be useful.  Recently I went through it to discard things that are out of date. I found it difficult to through away many of the items not because I haven't used them in a talk or post, but because I haven't put them into practiceI close the folder thinking, "these aren't words to talk about, these are words to live by."

In her book, listening to other's, Joyce Huggett writes about the importance of learning to listen and respond effectively to those in difficult situations as she relates some of her own experiences of listening to suffering people, she mentions they often thank her for all she's done for them. "on many occasions," she writes, "I have done nothing, I have just listened." I quickly came to the conclusion that just listening was indeed an effective way of helping other's. This was the help "Job" sought from his friend's, While it was true they sat with him 7 day's in silence, "for they saw his grief was very great," Job(2:13), they didn't listen when Job started talking, instead they talked and talked, but failed to comfort him.

"Oh that I had one to hear me!" Job cried (31:35) listening says, "what matters to you, maters to me."

Sometime people do want advice.  But more often they just want to be listened to by someone who loves and cares for them. Listening is hard work and it takes time. It takes time to listen long enough to hear the other person's true heart, so that if we do speak, we speak with gentle wisdom.

My grandfather taught me that and it was reinforced by a fine man who listened to me many times. He and my grandfather have since passed. This post is in their memory, Earl W. Harris friend and father-in law, Clayton TRavis Luke, friend and grandfather.

Oh Lord, give us a loving heart annd a listening ear, when I'm thinking about an answer while other's are talking-I'm not listening.

There is no greater excercise of government power than the ability to take someone's life in any form.


Joseph