| Galatians 6:2 – “carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. |
Today we hear a lot of talking.
Social media is filled with opinions.
TV is occupied by talking heads telling you what you want to hear and hiding the truth.
But where are the listeners?
Who knows how to listen any longer?
We are trained to talk but never to listen.
Most are so busy they cannot stop to listen, even to a child.
That’s not true about Al Nixon.
Al is a City Water Department employee for the city of St. Petersburg, FL. But that’s not what makes him special.
Each morning, Al goes to the beach and sits on the same bench as the sun comes up. And people, throngs of people, come to that bench to tell Al about their lives. They have learned that Al is an exceptional listener.
He did not start off that way. He started coming to the beach for peace and quiet, and to clear his head. But people would chat with him. One woman told him, “When I talk to you, I know everything is going to be ok.”
Al doesn’t give advice, for he claims he has none to give. But for the dozens of people who regularly return to his beachfront bench for a few moments of talk, they find him with few words but with bright eyes that nod in understanding. They have found someone special. They have found a listener.
We all need listeners, someone to know our struggles, to bear our burdens. Life is too heavy to carry alone.
Like trying to carry two barrels, it is easier when someone can help. And in life, that means listening.
Paul reminds us that we must “carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2, NIV)
The burdens of so many feel lighter when we find a listening friend. We may say as the woman who spoke with Al, “I know everything is going to be ok.”
So today, take a little extra time to stop talking and start listening more. Others will think you are so wise.
- Robert G. Taylor
robertgtaylor.com
