I cannot hear you because you are talking so loudly.

I was at work one day assisting a client. He spoke sincerely and said “thank you for offering to help. I am new here to the area and some people won’t speak to me because of my multiple tattoos. They just assume I am a bad person. I have been through a lot but have a new life now.” I was pretty surprised because that was the last thing I was thinking about.

It made me start thinking though of how often we are not listening. Often we may have perceptions of someone without hearing their story. The arrogance of the human soul befuddles me.

As humans we need to be gentle with each other and give each other room to breathe and room to grow. Jesus listened and met people right where they were. I write this as a gentle reminder to myself and to my readers to look at each other through the eyes of Christ.

It is a wild and beautiful world out there. We never know the treasures within unless we listen.

If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.

⁴ Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, ⁵ doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; ⁶ doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. ⁸ Love never fails…1 Corinthians 13:1-8 WEB