February 6, 2012

Ever sit with a selective listener? They only want to hear what tickles their fancy, satisfies their current preferences, keeps communication shallow, and/or entices their self-centereed curiosity. Usually lacking in attentiveness and oftentimes accompanied by impatience, a selective listener will choose to hear what they want and disregard the rest.

When that happens the listener often misses the deeper, most crucial message. Hearing the words but missing the meaning can lead one down a primrose lane of pretense which lacks depth, maturity, and wisdom. For such listeners the journey is only a good one when fulfilling that which is easiest to hear and follow…have you ever been such a listener?

Crafting a rule of life invites us to consider unhindered, unbiased, uncontrolled, and unhurried listening.  Attending first to the voice of God, and then to those who know us best and love us most, is the starting point of discovery. When we do so we are making a fundamental decision of life as a follower of Christ – listen first and then respond.

Listen long and hard and deep and slow…so you don’t miss the voice of the One who created you, calls you by name, knows all about you, and has your best interests in mind. Choose that path and avoid the potholes of selective listening…it will lead you into the abundant life of fuller awareness and into the freedom that comes hand in hand with joyful submission to the call of God.

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight , so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God,” (Phil. 1:9-11).