Readings for today: 1 Kings 12, 2 Chronicles 10
Listening is a lost art. A skill we no longer seem to possess. Whether you’re talking about spouses in a marriage, parents and children, supervisors and employees, different political parties, or church leaders in a denomination. All of us struggle to listen. Listening is different than simply hearing the words another person speaks. Listening involves seeking to understand. To place oneself in the other person’s shoes. To try to see things from their point of view. To sympathize with their concerns. It’s a skill I often have to teach couples and families in counseling. Similarly, I’ve found myself trying to help colleagues learn to listen as we navigate challenging discussions in our denomination. I honestly don’t know how successful I’ve been. Listening is hard work.
Among the many reasons for the split in the kingdom of Israel was Rehoboam’s failure to listen. He refused to listen to the concerns of his people. He refused to listen to the wisdom of the elders. He and his friends thought his power was absolute and he therefore could ignore the very real concerns everyone raised about the forced labor his father employed. After the kingdom splits, Jeroboam also fails to listen. He refuses to listen to God and creates an entire new religious system for the northern kingdom complete with golden calves, new shrines in Dan and Bethel, new religious festivals, and an entire new class of priests. This unwillingness to listen to God lays the groundwork for the end of his dynasty and becomes an ongoing problem for the northern kingdom.
Are you a good listener? An active listener? Do you not just listen to the words others say but the heart behind them? Do you seek to understand? Put yourself in the other party’s shoes? See things from their perspective? It could be God. It could be your spouse. A child. A parent. A friend. A colleague. How can you begin practicing the art of listening today?
Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 13-14, 2 Chronicles 11-12