Listen Carefully
The Rule of Saint Benedict was written some 400 years after Jesus was crucified to bring order to a community of monks in Italy. Benedict of Nursia, the monk known as Saint Benedict, is often referred to as the patron saint of Europe primarily because of the set of rules he wrote for monks to follow.
Originally written in Latin, Benedict's slender volume opens with two rather telling words: "Listen carefully."
Our 21st-century culture praises us for our doing rather than our listening, and yet the Bible reminds us again and again of the importance of listening well -- to the Lord, to one another, to God's creation around us:
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak,and slow to become angry. — James 1:19
To answer before listening —
that is folly and shame. — Proverbs 18:13I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. — Revelation 3:20
How will you focus on your ability to listen well this week, seeking to learn rather than advocate, grow rather than stagnate?
Christ's peace to you,
Jennie