LONELY PEOPLE

There surely is a lot of talking in our world every day. Ours is a world of talk, talk, talk - on the street, in the store, on the news, in politics and among friends. There is a lot of talking in our world, but maybe not a lot of listening.

Much of our talking has become silent through the use of social media, e-mail or cell phones that carry “text messages” from one person to another. A man once told me with all the cell phone messages going around, people must really be lonely. He is right. But with all this talking, I wonder if there is as much listening.

A parent lamented giving her daughter a cell phone. They discovered that during a one month period she sent out 5000 text messages to her friends. That averaged 1,200 messages a week and 170 a day, 21 days of which she was in school. And school was where her friends were!

How much do people listen? I was watching three people on a national news program discussing a current event. I liked the people and the topic, but one of them kept interrupting and didn’t let the others finish. Soon they were all “talking over” each other, almost shouting, so I turned the program off.

How much have people listened to me? I estimate that in my years as a pastor I preached around 4,000 sermons and taught thousands of Bible Classes. That’s a lot of talking, but did anyone hear what I said? I believe every pastor asks that question of his ministry. He is also grateful to know that the results of preaching and teaching are not his sole responsibility. The hearers have some, as does God the Holy Spirit. God bids His people to share the Good News, and promises the Holy Spirit will help willing hearts to listen.

St. Paul said, “How can they believe without hearing about Him? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15)

May God open your heart today to hear Him speak to you.