Last night was the beginning of Lent as we kicked it all off with our Ash Wednesday service. One of the key points of my sermon was that we partake of lenten disciplines not out of guilt, or shame, or because it is a "rule," or because God wants us to feel bad about ourselves. Discipline is a form of freedom to be whom God has called us to be and it allows us to examine ourselves in ways we may not have otherwise. Here is my discipline for the lenten season, actually it is two disciplines.
Talk Less, Listen More.
The more I live the more I begin to realize that by talking so much and providing what I think are "answers" to situations are often the cause of problems. Perhaps if I were silent more and took time to reflect, meditate, and pray over things in life I might have a better sense of what is required of me in a situation. In the book of Job there is a passage where Job tells his accusers that if they "would just be silent, that would be there wisdom." I have always appreciated this line because it was clear that Job's friends never took the time to be humble and silent, but rather talked and talked and talked solutions until Job finally told them to shut the hell up. Who can blame him? Well, I am going to take Job's advice and do one thing less and one thing more so that my relationships and life are more healthy.
Talk Less, Listen More
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)