Today’s Reflection
When people share their stories with us, we ought to show them respect by taking their stories seriously, listening for their gifts, and asking what they need, knowing that they know more about what they need than we do. I hope every food ministry leader or volunteer will take the time to sit down with those who are food insecure; I hope we all take time to eat with, talk to, and listen to others. As we find God in one another, we come to understand the ways that we are called to create God’s kingdom in the world.
—Elizabeth Mae Magill, Five Loaves, Two Fish, Twelve Volunteers: Growing a Relational Food Ministry (Upper Room Books, 2020)
Today’s Question
How does listening to others help you truly understand what they need? Join the conversation.
Today’s Scripture
To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.
—Proverbs 18:13 (NIV)
Prayer for the Week
Creator God,
Help me see Jesus in those around me. Help me see that Jesus is present among all people, including those who lack food, drink, and clothing and those who are strangers, sick, and imprisoned.
Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.
Something More
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Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Trinity Sunday
Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.
4 Comments
There are times when LISTENING needs help from INTUITION. Foreign language class taught me to listen harder, but listening for words is easier than listening for a person’s heart. I still have a harder time with that. Intuition is not one of my strengths.
A positive day yesterday, a long walk, some new territory, a visit to the train station, a coat of paint on the Brill car, special masking tape ordered, it will help produce stripes, nice meals, and the Leafs still have a chance. Chilly, rainy weather, highs in the low 50s, lows in the 40s. No painting when it rains. Trinity Sunday today. Prayers and blessings for all of you. Thank You, Lord.
So true, robert, seeing and listening with all of our senses and heart are so important to truly hear another. During social work training we are taught to listen beyond the words. But we also must listen to the words and what meaning they have for each individual.
I bought a coccyx (tailbone) cushion and it is helping a great deal. It has an opening where the coccyx rets so there is no pressure plaed on that area. I also curtailed some excercises I had been trying to maintain even though they caused a lot of pain. In just one day I see improvement which helps me stick to not resuming those excerices.
Prayers for Robert and his church as they continue to worship together via ZOOM. Prayers for Ally and David, for jobs and health. Prayers for Jill and Larry as they reusme the “tour” may they have good weather and remain injury free. It is cold in our neck of the woods so if they golf they are hearty folk. Prayers for Lou and her children as she reconnects with them. I texted Marcy yesterday and she is still not up to talking. Continued prayers for her health and finances.
I feel like in the classroom environment – listening is a strength of mine, along with ready faces and body language. Obviously, the last 15 months I have not been able to engage this strength and it is partially why I feel so disconnected with my students. Listening well in relationships is a skill which must remain practiced and intentional.
Good to worship at church today. They announced they are keeping the first service fully masked for an indeterminate amount of time. I am grateful for this. With fewer people, it seems more intimate and I like the earlier time.
Dad and I golfed today, but he quit 4 holes from the end as his elbow was bothering him a little. He iced it when he got home. We will see how he is feeling tomorrow. I plan on getting the rest of my flowers planted tomorrow morning before I go to my sisters.
Memorial Day Weekend and so many memories to reflect back on. We have no plans for big parties, our get togethers will be virtual, and I am so good with this arrangement so that I can reflect, maybe with a nice walk.
Listening to others is something I have good intentions of doing, but I do not do on a consistent basis at the time. I may be having a conversation and then suddenly the other person says something that I am not expecting and I find that I often continue with the first conversation and did not pick up on the change. Just yesterday this happened, but I caught myself….stopped…and addressed the new topic. We had a short discussion, but I believe I met her need to be heard as she moved on to what we had been previously been talking about. I am retired…..I have time….please God help me to use my time well.
Education!! I am a firm believer in education and support it with several gifts on a regular basis. One is to a preschool in a town we lived in over 10 years ago. I have never actually seen the teacher, but I have sent checks on a regular basis. During Covid I started adding a note of encouragement and she wrote to thank me. Just this past week, she has written to not only thank me for the notes, but to tell me they have adopted a new baby boy!! Truly a wonderful pen-pal relationship that I will continue to support.
I also support the nursing school/now college where I went to school. Covid and our aging population point to the need for more nurses. I thank all those who supported the school when I went there.
Prayers!! Yes….this is a goal of mine to do more of. I am a multitasker so walk and pray, bake and pray, read the prayers offered here and pray….my goal is to just sit and pray. I need to carve out time to just do 1 thing at a time….pray.
Blessings ….we are each a Beloved Child of God.
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