By Greg Primm

It usually happens a couple of times per week:  I ask my oldest daughter, Allison, to do something and she says - “ok”.  Several minutes go by, but she doesn’t move.  So I ask her again, using my DAD voice — stern but not angry.  Another “ok”, but still no movement.  Finally, I get angry and tell her again.

Her:  ”Why are you yelling at me?”

Me:  ”Cause I told you three times to go clean your room!”

Her:  ”But I didn’t HEAR you!”

Me:  ”You answered me each time!  You heard me but you weren’t listening.  Now go clean your room before I . . . .” 

Then, last week my youngest daughter started down the same path.  She wasn’t listening to me.  To my shock, the older daughter stopped and said, “Lauren, you heard Dad but you weren’t listening.  There’s a big difference.”  She went on to give a 5 minute speech on the importance of actually listening to what someone is saying rather than merely  hearing the words. 

I finally got through to her!  I’m an awesome Dad.  Proud of myself, I asked Allison how she figured out the difference between hearing and really listening.  She said her teacher at school explained it to one of her classmates.  Not from me?  No. 

Ready Aim Life

As we sharpen our focus here at RAL, I started thinking about my own path in life and how so many times I hear but don’t truly listen to the signs that are trying to point me in the right direction (or keep me from making bad decisions). 

God will put knowledgable people in my path.  

I’ll read a good book at just the right time.  

That gut feeling just won’t go away.  

And I’ll ignore it all.  Rather than stop and really listen to what is being said, I’ll usually just give a token response and evaluate what I hear using my own filter of what I’ve already decided is the best course of action. 

I’ve made a few big decisions in life that turned out great.  I’ve also had a few decisions turn out awful.  As I look back on all of the big decisions in my life, I can tell you that there is one common link among the wise decisions:  I sought input from people I trust and truly listened to what they had to say.  The common link among the bad decisions:  I largely made the decision on my own, ignoring any advice others tried to give.

The big difference between hearing and listening is that when we really listen, when we block out all the distractions and look our junk in the face and do the tough work, we risk finding out that we’re not supposed to do the thing we thought we wanted to do. 

One of our goals at RAL is to be a resource.  A resource for people to really listen.  To make good decisions.  To live a John 10:10 kind of life.  To live large.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. — John 10:10 (NIV)

So join us over the next few weeks and months as we explore what it means to live life to the full.  

This ought to be fun . . . 

Photo credit:  scol22