The Fine Art of Listening - Part 2

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:1-6 ESV). Wouldn’t it be great if we could never get “down in the dumps”? I am pretty fortunate because Mary and I rarely get into the doldrums at the same time. Somehow God has given us good days when the other needs them. It is a wonderful way to be able to perk each other up! Being the perfect helpmate, my wife seems to be handling the pressures of life better than me when I am struggling to overcome frustration. When she is having a bad day, I seem to be having a better day, and vice versa. It wasn’t like Scott Kregel to give up. He was a battler, a dedicated athlete who spent hour after hour perfecting his three throw and jump shot during the hot summer months of 1987. But just before fall practice everything changed. A serious car accident left Scott in a coma for several days. When he awoke, a long rehabilitation process lay ahead. Like most patients with closed head injuries, Scott balked at doing the slow, tedious work that was required to get him back to normal—things such as stringing beads. What high school junior would enjoy that? Tom Martin, Scott’s basketball coach at the Christian school he attended, had an idea. Coach Martin told Scott that he would reserve a spot on the varsity for him—if he would cooperate with his therapist and show progress in the tasks he was asked to do. And Tom’s wife Cindy spent many hours with Scott, encouraging him to keep going. Within 2 months, Scott was riding off the basketball court on his teammates’ shoulders. He had made nine straight free throws to clinch a triple-overtime league victory. It was a remarkable testimony of the power of encouragement. The Bible seems to indicate that we are to spread out our good favor. Just because I am having a good day, doesn’t mean I have a right to keep it all to myself. I need to share my good day with others who aren’t having such a good day. After all, there may come a day when my day will be awful, and I need someone else to help me feel better. As Christians, our goal should be to encourage others. God has a certain way of rewarding us with like favor. When we “do unto others as we would have them do unto” us, God blesses us with His grace and peace. If we are listening today, we will find someone who needs a good word from us. Give it to them!