I remember the conversation well. It was early in the morning before school started and I was talking with my six-year old grandson. I was teaching him about being a good listener and paying attention. He was headed out for the first day of school in the first grade. Because of his uncertainty of what to expect, he was excited and a bit timid at the same time. He’d been to kindergarten last year, but this was different, it was big school, it was first grade after all!
I sat with him and shared words and hugs to console him and instill in him courage for the day. I talked to him about listening and paying attention, and if he did, how he might learn something. I talked about not talking when someone else was talking, how rude and disrespectful it is to interrupt and how important it is to always look in the eyes of the person who is talking to you, giving them your undivided attention. This shows people you are listening, you respect them and that you are paying attention. Seeming to understand what I said, and with me sensing he was feeling much more confident about the day ahead of him, we hugged and kissed one another goodbye.
Later that morning, I was in my car, leaving an appointment and listening to messages on my mobile phone. I checked both ways before pulling out to turn left and maneuvered my way quite well across the four lanes of traffic. After looking back over my right shoulder, before moving over one last lane, I heard someone blowing the horn incessantly. Looking up I saw a woman screaming, while pointing her finger at me, through the glass window! I laughed to myself thinking she was having a really bad morning and I showed a gesture of apology, while underneath I was confident she was the one in the wrong!
She went on her way and turned right onto the same street I too would momentarily turn. After completing my call and turning right, I approached the next intersection preparing to stop where the light had turned red. Surprisingly, this woman was right beside me! Looking over toward her, I lowered my driver’s side window and she lowered her passenger side. I expressed to her my apology for almost hitting her, even though I really did not think it was my fault. She started screaming at me, telling me I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going, what I was doing and that I was too busy talking on the phone. I was taken aback by her attitude, but nonetheless, I apologized again, stating to her how thankful I was to God that we had not collided and what a blessing it had been for us both. The light turned green and without acknowledging my words, she sped away.
As I drove from there, I started thinking about what she said. I had a revelation, she was right; I was not paying attention! I was on the phone, too engrossed in listening to my messages to realize that because of the pain it caused, I couldn’t turn around far enough to see her coming in the lane next to me. I did almost run over her! It was a blessing that we did not have impact, and she was justified in her anger toward me for almost causing a major interruption in her day!
My mind then carried me back to the conversation I had earlier that morning with my grandson and how I had shared with him that by listening and paying attention, we might learn something. I learned something big about myself; a bit of arrogance was still hiding deep inside, and though I thought I was innocent, I was not! The hornet was at work!
I am thankful God has taught me and reminds me daily to listen to Him. When I don’t pay attention and listen, I become a hazard to others and myself. The reason He asks us to, “Be still and know that I am God . . . ” (Psalm 46:10, NIV), is because he desires for us to listen to Him so He can direct our ways.
Whew! Even though I wasn’t listening or paying attention to begin with, He still showed up and freed me from a possible injury to someone, a huge delay in my day, and the possibility of increasing my insurance costs! He taught me a HUGE lesson in listening and paying attention to the small stuff through the very words I had used with my grandson earlier that morning!