He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” ~Luke 11:28
I have always found it interesting that two or more people can be involved in the exact same conversation and walk away hearing very different things. I find that kind of thing interesting, that is, until the conversation happens to involve me and one or more of my kids. In that particular people group, hearing different things becomes a frustration for me and my kids.
At this time in my Mom world, I find myself addressing once again the lesson of hearing the actual word’s being spoken not what one thinks that they heard. “I thought you meant…” and “I thought you said…” have shown up in the House of McClure many, many times in the last few weeks. My repetitious response has been something along the lines of “yes, I understand that is what you thought I said; however, my actual words were…” So, I have taken this opportunity to stress the importance of training to listen carefully so we can obey well.
One of the sure signs in the McClure house that life lessons are being understood and undertaken is when I hear my very words being spoken from one of our kids to the other. Just a few days ago, I overheard my 11 year old say to her 9 year old brother “Matt, I understand that is what you thought I said; however, what I actually said was…” I said a silent “WOOOHOOO!!” and gave God a thumbs up that once again his instruction to train my children really does work.
This recent training experience has also been used by God to remind me to listen as questions of my own listening skills have surfaced. How well am I listening to my husband and to my kids? How well am I listening to my Father in heaven? Do God and I walk away from our conversations have heard the same things? Am I obeying what He has actually said in His word or am I doing what I think He meant? Did Jesus really say what I think He said or am I listening to what someone else has told me Jesus said?
One of the things Jesus did say is that we are blessed when we hear and obey His words (Luke 11:28). How well are we hearing what He has to say?
