Listen

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In 1993, Paul Simon and Art Garfinkle wrote and recorded the song "The Sound of Silence".  One of the lyrics is "People hearing without listening", those words struck me very deeply when I first heard them and have stuck with me ever since.

I can only speak with authority about myself when it comes to hearing without listening, but I don't think I'm alone in doing just that.  There are times when we are so focused on our own agenda that we leave little or no room to "hear" what others are saying.  There are also times when we are so sure that we are "right" that we totally discount the opinions of others.

Yes, there are indeed times when we are right and even listening carefully to others and "Hearing" them we will not change our minds.  The important part of this is to genuinely listen to and consider the other point of view...I believe that is what we are called to do. I also have come to believe that before we "make up our minds" we need to look at the situation through the "lens" of what Jesus has taught us.

Right now, in the year 2022 our nation and indeed the entire world seems to be experiencing situations where there is a great deal of hearing without listening.  Words are very powerful, but words alone are not as concerning as the negative actions that those words can bring about.

It is time for all people to truly listen, think and pray...before it's too late.

 

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