Joyful homes aren‘t perfect, but they LISTEN.
One of the deepest desires of the human heart is to know and be known. Families are the ideal place for this need to be met, and we do this by listening to each other. Listening is a skill that most of us have room to grow in… because it’s not always easy! We live in a busy, noisy world, but time invested in listening well will pay dividends for years to come.
Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. (James 1:19)
Technology has made communication so amazing. We can now talk to people around the world, keep up with old friends, send a message to whole groups of people at once, and share photos and videos with ease. But instant communication has also made us quick to speak, and prone to outrage. How many times have we all replied quickly to a text or social media post without even reading the original message carefully? How often do we see rude, angry comments directed at strangers?
Unfortunately, we sometimes bring the worst of our digital lives home to our families. While a loved one is speaking, we can assume we know what they are going to say, and even get frustrated or angry before taking the time to hear. We can offer advice before understanding what the person is asking. We often wait to speak rather than really listening.
This month, let’s slow down a bit and try to be quick to listen!