Face to Face to Face

Several recent studies confirmed what many suspect. In general, people are poor listeners, and their listening skills deteriorate as they age.

Most people have the capacity to be good listeners, but too often they’re distracted and lose focus. While thinking they listen, many multitask and don’t give their full attention. Many try to keep track of other things simultaneously, but in the process, they miss important details. Others talk incessantly, more concerned with expressing their own ideas than listening.

The failure to listen carefully causes frustration in many relationships. When people treat us in these ways, they are delivering a clear message. Regardless of what they think, this indicates that we really don’t matter much to them. They don’t think enough of us to give us their time, to listen, and show they care.

It is one thing to be poor listeners in our relationships with other people. Yet many of us can be guilty of this same attitude in our relationship with God.

Consider things that some people do while claiming to “pray” or talk with Him: Looking around, reading, thinking about other things, listening to music, planning their schedules, evaluating what others are doing or thinking. Are these the actions of a person who is speaking with the Lord “face to face, as a man speaks with his friend”? What do these actions tell Him about our priorities? Our attitudes?

The fact is that people who really care genuinely listen. They are interested in us and want to hear our thoughts.

How much more should we focus on God when we are with Him. Like Moses, we should seek to talk with Him face-to-face. To demonstrate that He really is important to us.