Listen First
Café Menu for Thursday, November 12, 2015
Today’s Special is: Two Simple Steps
Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Noelle Dey
Main Ingredient:
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
James 1:19-20 NIV
Entrée:
My daughter has a sixth sense.
The moment I sit down at my computer, her antenna rises. And within a split second, she’s buzzing in my ear.
I wish I could claim to be Mrs. Brady’s twin. That way, I could go on telling you how I put my work aside, listen intently, respond with wisdom, and then bake an apple pie before my husband walks through the front door.
Keeping it real, that’s not my story. And to be fair, that wasn’t her story either. She didn’t have a computer and Alice the housekeeper made the pies for her.
My story is messier. But it’s also redeemable.
If there’s one thing I yearn for, it’s to live my life in the way God desires. And our key verses explain how to do just that. It’s broken down into two simple steps:
1. Be quick to listen
2. Be slow to speak
Countless times, I have done this equation backwards. Without listening, I’m quick to bark,
Can’t you see I’m busy?
And the unavoidable result? Anger. For both of us.
I used to read these verses as strict rules from a demanding God. But the opposite is true.
When we do these steps as written, we take the time to value someone else above ourselves. We don’t spew words that we will inevitably regret. Instead, we become peaceful and joy-filled. It’s the spirit of contentedness that God desires for us because He loves us like crazy!
Did you catch that? Not only are you blessing the person you’re listening to, but you’re blessing yourself!
Take Out:
We no longer live in the Brady Bunch age of simplicity. We have buzzing cell phones, overloaded inboxes, and so many things competing for our attention.
Let’s make a commitment to value humans above technology.
Before you tap away at any technological gizmo, remind yourself of these two simple steps because you know you will soon be interrupted:
1. Be quick to listen
2. Be slow to speak
Remember, God gave us these directions in order to bless us too. He desires for us to be content and peaceful in our spirits!
Dessert:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your timeless wisdom. Thank You for loving us like crazy and for desiring us to be filled with Your peace. Empower us with Your Holy Spirit so we can act on these two simple steps which will have life-giving results. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2015 by Noelle Dey. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Thursday, 12 November 2015.
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