Susan and I are sitting in our car in a parking lot at Westport Marina. We are working away on our laptops because the reception is pretty good here. It seems also to be a great place to birdwatch since we ran into Joe and Linda Siebert. That is right, some four hours away from church, we still run into parishioners. What a delight.
I start my blog with this because of the conversations we've been having around 1 Peter. One of the notions of the author is that you never know when the Holy Spirit may call you to be a witness to the Risen Jesus. Just as we were startled to see Joe and Linda, we might just well have been startled with an opportunity to listen to someone else's story.
At our synod gathering this week of rostered leaders we heard from members of the Upper Skagit Tribe, the Lummi Nation, and the Cherokee Nation. I was struck when one of our teachers asked us first to hear his story and then to listen. Think about that. How often do we hear but not listen. I took this to mean that we often think we hear but do not take the time to understand.
My challenge to you this month is to be ready when something providential happens not to jump to conclusions. Take time to hear and to listen. Jesus, I think did this, with the woman at the well, when he healed the blind man, and so many other times.
Hear and then listen.
