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Have you ever taken a genuine interest in how someone was doing?
I’m talking about more than just a simple, “Hey, how’s it going,” or, “What’s up, hope you’re doing well.”
Let me put it this way, have you ever just listened to someone as they tell you where they’re at in life?
It’s something that’s pretty uncommon, and frankly, something I don’t do enough. I’m busy most of the time, that whenever I see people, whether family or friends, I don’t get to really have much quality conversation.
Last night, after I got home from work at around 11, my mom came into my room and asked me how my day was. I gave her the typical, “It was fine,” answer, then asked her how hers was very nonchalantly, with no genuine interest but to get back to what I needed to work on.
But I guess you can call it the Lord, I don’t want to sound all hyper-spiritual—I had this thought just come into my mind, telling me to stop all my work and really ask my mom how she has been.
So, completely out of the norm, I shut my computer, turned off my music, turned around and looked at my mom, who was sitting at the end of my bed.
“How are you?”
That one question opened conversation—conversation which has been quite scarce for a long time. I honestly can’t remember the last time I simply asked my parents what’s been going on in their lives.
It hit me. And it kept hitting me as I set aside my busyness and truly listened to my mom pour out her heart. Through all that I heard—so many words of wisdom and experience—I realized how much she desired to serve and draw near to the Lord. Genuinely. With everything she had. It was something so foreign to me. Here’s someone I have known for so long—who has been through a lot, trust me—and even now through the season in her life that was trying to say the least, my mom didn’t complain, she didn’t vent, she didn’t point out problems.
She was thankful.
And she had such a genuineness, I can’t put it into words.
For the first time in a very long time, I had this indescribable level of love, respect, and thankfulness for my parents that had been empty for so long. I realized—through listening—the sacrifice, tremendous love, and perseverance that they had for our family.
It just hit me.
How much I have missed.
How selfish I can be.
How easy it is to forget the people closest to you.
How faithful the Lord is in restoring distant relationships.
Wow, God, you have a way with words. If only I could learn to not talk as much. If only I could learn to be still. If only I could cease this striving in my heart, this stress, this schedule in my mind, this work.
If only I could learn to listen.
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