Listening Intentionally

“Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” (1 Samuel 3:10 MSG)

I was listening to a podcast while running my usual route around the neighborhood. It was a windy day, and I was having difficulty hearing anything through my headphones.  I turned the volume up to maximum, but that didn’t help. I gave up, turned my headphones off, and said: “Speak Wind-- I’m listening!”

And the Wind replied: Pay attention. Keep your head down. Lean in. Feel my strength. You will have to go slowly for a while, until the next turn. Then I will be at your back and the going will get easier. 

When I am tuned in to the distractions of this world, I cannot hear God. Even though I know this from experience, I seldom shut the noise off. Unless I have no other choice. Some days, God speaks loudly enough to get my attention. Then, I stop everything else and listen intentionally.

And the Lord replies: Pay attention. Keep your head down. Lean in. Feel my strength. Approach slowly. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I shall go before you and behind you. I shall surround you with my unconditional love. I will help you and uphold you. I bring forgiveness and healing. Trust in me. Rely on me. Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. My peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds. 

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Journey

“God said, ‘My presence will go with you. I’ll see the journey to the end.’” (Exodus 33:14 MSG)

My dog, Sydney, saw me through an important decade of my life. She arrived in my late thirties and died a month before my fiftieth birthday. It was a season of many transitions for my family. During this period, Sydney was my constant companion. She didn’t speak words, but she communicated volumes. I learned to adapt my plans around her needs. I was tuned in to her, and she was tuned in to me. The weight of her presence always drew me back home. Her gravity centered me, and I found peace in her calming presence. 

God has promised to accompany us through every decade of this life and for eternity. Personal awareness of the Lord is developed through practice. We learn to tune in, be on the same wavelength, and align our plans and thoughts with God’s purpose.  His presence stays with us as we progress from one stage to another. His weight, His light, His presence--envelops us. His gravity draws us back home, centering us, granting us peace. He will see us to the journey’s end. 

Repurposed Vessels

“And as I watched, the clay vessel in his hands became flawed and unusable. So the potter started again with the same clay. He crushed and squeezed and shaped it into another vessel that was to his liking.” (Jeremiah 18:4 VOICE)

Our trash service stopped recycling during the quarantine. Thus, I have been trying to reuse containers instead of throwing everything away. After I  wash glass jars and plastic tubs, I fill them with dirt and plant seeds. I have an assortment of containers on my windowsills now--all repurposed and now growing useful plants. 

Do you ever feel like your life is so flawed that it is unusable? Or maybe you feel used up, traumatized, broken, and good for nothing other than the trash heap. Do not despair. In God’s hands, nothing and no one is beyond redemption. He is the potter and we are the clay. Nothing is wasted. He repurposes each of us into new vessels according to His liking. All we have to do is submit to being molded. Let go of preconceived notions, bitterness, and pride. Remain open, attentive, and pliable to God’s guidance. 

Recognizing Bad Directions

“Wisdom will keep you from following the way of evildoers, of those who twist words to pervert the truth.” (Proverbs 2:12 VOICE)

I routinely get forwarded messages that are filled with misinformation. Most of them start off with some truths--embellished with some nonsense that sounds believable--and finish with misdirections. How can you recognize perversions of truth? How do you respond to duplicities? 

First of all, in order to notice discrepancies, we must have some familiarity with a subject. For example, most of us have learned to distrust official sounding emails with spelling and grammar mistakes. But, what if the email recipient was not fluent in English? Here is another example: I do not know how to sew clothes or follow a dress pattern. Even if there were multiple mistakes in a pattern, I would not be able to spot them. However, if I started a project and discovered the pattern was inaccurate, I would not purchase another pattern from the same company. 

Being honest about what you know and what you don’t know is imperative. Learning to find trustworthy guides to help you understand unfamiliar topics is prudent. 

If someone gives you wrong information and doesn’t correct his mistakes, it would not be smart to follow his directions in the future. Exaggeration of knowledge is a form of deception. Anyone who repeatedly perverts the truth cannot be trusted. Divine discernment gives you clarity. It keeps you from following misdirections from imposters. It prevents you from making wrong turns and wandering through dangerous alleys. Wisdom and insight are godly tools. Value them. Use them. Share them. 

Fatal Complacency

“Carelessness kills; complacency is murder.” (Proverbs 1:32 MSG)

Complacency is a smug satisfaction with oneself. It is a toxic disregard for the consequences of one’s own negligence. If a child is careless with a toy, the damage is minimal. However, when those in power are irresponsible, the repercussions to humanity are exponential. 

In the last few months, we have witnessed how carelessness kills.  Politicians first called the pandemic a hoax. They downplayed the severity of the virus. They restricted testing so as to keep the numbers of positive cases artificially low. They debunked scientific data. They steered the public with disinformation until the disease had spread. Then, they recklessly pushed drugs that could cause more harm than good. They didn’t listen to physicians or scientists; instead, they promoted their own hunches and conspiracy theories. They refused to take responsibility for their mistakes. Instead, they continued, smugly satisfied with themselves, unconcerned about their negligence. They got away with complacent murder.

Wide Buffer Zones

“Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day. And even while the gatekeepers are on duty, have them shut and bar the doors.” (Nehemiah 7:3 NLT)

In most cultures, the standard personal distance between acquaintances is about arm’s length. Until the recent pandemic, most of us were tolerant of occasional violations of our personal space, especially in crowds. Now that we know what we know, we are vigilant to keep wider buffer zones between ourselves and people outside our households. What used to be considered rude has now become polite. 

I have been reevaluating my psychological boundaries lately. I have noticed that I am less tolerant of people who are insincere, inconsistent, or infringing. I make allowances for loved ones, but I am more selective and guarded with those outside my intimate circle. This seems rude and abnormal, but I am learning that this is necessary for my mental health. Intimacy, energy, and space are precious commodities, and I am careful in how I use them. During these tough times, I have closed some gates. I allow less traffic in my life. I have accepted my need for wider buffer zones. 

Interconnection in Isolation

“The blessing of favor resting upon the righteous influences a city to lift it higher, but wicked leaders tear it apart by their words.” (Proverbs 11:11 TPT) 

There are no mandatory rules for isolation in our area, merely suggestions about social distancing. However, I have been in a self-imposed quarantine for over a month now. My husband, a healthcare worker, has an essential job. His usefulness to the community is undeniable. As for me, the activities that fill my day seem non-essential these days. This puts me in a funk. The temptation to distract myself or do something that feels semi-productive crops up daily. 

As the weeks pass by, I notice my values and perspective shifting. More than ever, my choice to stay home, or not, directly affects the community. There is an interdependence between my behavior and the health of others. I have to assess the risk vs. benefit for every desire. The welfare of my neighbors and friends are interconnected with my actions. This makes me rethink my earlier held views on how I can be useful. My self-isolation can be a blessing to those around me. 

Our words, choices, and behavior affect others in many ways. Kindness, selflessness, self-control, solidarity, and cooperation build up communities. Collective sacrifice can be achieved through individual  curtailment. We can lead by example. Truth and virtue are not always popular or convenient. Yet, they provide a hedge of protection against the spread of dishonesty. Social distancing may seem disconnecting, but an unwillingness to face the truth is far more isolating.