Many years ago, when my son was in the first grade, he stopped by the principal’s office to visit with him. My son had brought a small football to school to play with at recess.
His teacher had told her class that footballs weren’t allowed and that none of her students could bring one to school. I don’t know her reasoning for this because all the other first graders, in other classes, brought their footballs and were having good times playing with them.
The principal was busy at the time my son stopped by and asked him to come back later. It was time for school to begin and my son knew he was in trouble if he showed up in class with that football. Being a six-year old child, many things went through his mine and he made the decision to walk off campus and go to his mother’s school several blocks away.
There are many instances in life when people face situations that need attention and they cannot find a friend, a family member, or anyone that will listen to them. This often results in situations that create havoc or destruction for the person up to the point of losing their life. All of us need to remember that God is never too busy to listen to any thing we bring to Him.
There are many people walking this earth that needs someone to listen to them and help them if possible. Most of us are busy with something that hinders us to listen to others and this is a deterrent for most people. Parents do not take time to listen to their children, teachers do not take the time to hear their students, even though many times this is well justified, employers refuse to hear the words of their employees, and friends shun one another unless the time is appropriate for them.
People are busy and I understand that. Scheduling time with one another is necessary in certain situations however when someone needs an attentive ear at a time of emergency or great need, we should break away from our routine and hear what they say to us. No one knows for sure if this time or these words will be the last ones spoken to us from them.
We are told in Proverbs 1:5, “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.” Many will deceive themselves in many ways and this could lead into some destructive ways for them. With someone listening to their needs maybe tragedies can be avoided, and that person can be shown the right direction to take.
All we have on this earth is time and our life depends on how we use it. Listening to others can be a tremendous asset we can give to those around us. We need to remember God gave us two ears and one mouth. We should listen twice as much as we speak!
When my son left the school campus to seek out his mother several blocks away, he was wrong. He was also six years old. I did have a meeting with the school principal and his teacher to why this happened. Both were embarrassed that he was able to leave the school yard and the teacher gained a new understanding of why kids bring footballs to school. She was the only one out of five first grade classes to ban her students from this.
My son was wrong for taking the ball to school, but he did try and see an authority figure for help with the situation and was told to come back later. All worked out well for everyone concerned.
GARY ANDREWS' devotional appears each week on the Church Pages of your Clarksdale Press Register. You can contact him at GARY@gadevotionals.com
