I was working this past Sunday, when one of my workers asked me to pray for her. She was going through a hard time and asked for prayer. We began to talk about the winter months and how at times it can be very dreary. She was mentioning that she couldn’t wait to get her hands, “in the dirt again.” My sister is the same way, she loves gardening and has mentioned at times how therapeutic it is to get “into the dirt.”
I began praying for my coworker and asked God to help me find some way to encourage her. God answered my prayer on my way home from work one day later. I had to stop and get gas and then I got the idea to go inside the store and look for a plant for my coworker. I truly believe that God often pops ideas into our minds if we are open to His control. Let’s face it, He is not going to send us a text, a letter in the mail or give us a call on our cellphone. He speaks to us through an idea, someone’s conversation, or even circumstances. Of course, we know that He always speaks through His Word, the Bible.
I proceeded to go into the store and there in the florist section were pots of spring flowers at the perfect price! The pot had jonquils, tulips, hyacinths, crocuses and dirt. There was a beautiful array of colors and a soothing, fresh fragrance that permeated from the flowers.
The next day I placed the flower pot on the back table and awaited my coworker’s arrival. She entered the store and before going to the back room, I mentioned there was something on the table for her. She came from the back room with a smile on her face. I told her that when she feels like she needs to get into the dirt, she should place her fingers into the dirt and move them.
She reacted with a smile and her first comment was, “You listened.”
Do you remember Charlie Brown’s teacher? Isn’t that how we hear people at times? We hear noise, but we aren’t listening to them. Perhaps we have had a long hard day at work or at home and the last thing we want to hear is our mate complaining about work again. Maybe our kids come home from school and we are in such a rush to get supper fixed that we aren’t really listening to all that took place in their lives that day.
Then we wonder why our “relationships” within our family, work, school, or church are not good. Perhaps it is time to start “listening” to what our kids, mates, coworkers, friends, or students are saying.
