On our recent trip, we stayed at a hotel that had a plethora of places to sit and talk and listen. Besides the normal meeting rooms and eating areas, there were open spaces with chairs on every floor and down some unexpected hallways. It would have been so easy to just hang out there if we weren't busy elsewhere.
I noticed something similar at the retreat center I visited a few weeks ago. Wherever there were benches or chairs, they were grouped together so that several people could sit and talk and listen. In the garden, there was a patio full of chairs with a screen around it, another great meeting space.
In our world, we have lots of places for driving and parking, walking and working, but not so many places to sit and talk and listen to one another. Coffee shops are great for this, but sometimes outdoor spaces feel more accessible.
In seminary, the pastoral counseling professor made us recite Proverbs 18:13 at the beginning of every class: "Answering before listening is both stupid and rude." I don't get as many opportunities to listen as I would like. We hear so much from those in power, those on camera, those who publish, but there are so many people who don't get heard. Some are afraid. Some don't have anyone who will listen. Some think nobody cares about what they have to say.
I care. I want to listen. Let's hangout!
Thanks, God, for giving us ears for listening.
No comments:
Post a Comment