Comfort: Listening with Kindness

“They sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.”  Job 2:13 NRSV

The ability to be present with ourselves and with others can be a difficult skill to develop. Not only is the outside noise intense (which we sometimes have little control over), we often pursue ways to fill our minds and distract ourselves.  Music playing in the background, an abundance of rapid images before us as we drive quickly from one place to another, or our smart phones beeping and buzzing, their very presence on the table or in our pocket a distraction from focusing.

To be still and present with the emotions and experiences of our own inner lives and those of others requires perseverance.  However, listening with kindness to our own internal dialog and listening with care to others is a gift worth the time and effort.

Focused listening is the cornerstone for any meaningful friendship.

In today’s scripture selection Job’s friends displayed embodied listening.  They traveled from their homes to just sit with Job.  They were listening even before Job was speaking.  (As the story develops later in Job, perhaps they would have been better friends if they had just stuck with the listening instead of offering advice.)

How can you embody listening this week, befriending your own inner voices and listening with focus to friends and loved ones around you?

God, thank you for listening so intently to our prayers.  May we respond in the same way, listening deeply for your voice and responding with kind listening towards ourselves and others. AMEN

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