STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN

If you are a Baby Boomer like me you can remember our teachers and parents reminding us at railroad crossing we were to Stop, Look and Listen. (This was before the blinking red lights and road barriers)

This month is the anniversary of my father's death. I have come to realize that he left me more than I have ever known. James Turner and his father Willie Turner had a gift. They had a gift of Stopping, Looking and Listening to people. I must also say they had the gift of sharing. They loved to share in the lives of others and because of the love that people sensed from them, they would open up to them. Without pride I humbly share that they left me that gift.

 Psalms 61:5-8

^"5 My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. ⁶ He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.⁷ On God my salvation and my glory rest;The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.⁸ Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah." (NASV)

We hurry so fast through life. In that rush we pass by hurting people. We go to church and give a warm hand shake to others. Not knowing that person is falling apart inside. We must stop and give the Holy Spirit time to work. How many times have I rushed by a stranger that the Holy Spirit could have used me right at that moment.

Recently, I came in contact with an elderly woman. As she pusher her walker toward her car, I offered to open her door and place her walker in the back seat. It was then that the Holy Spirit would place me right where He wanted me. She shared, "I just lost my husband four months ago and I just had to go to the grave and let him go. I was sitting at home weeping and missing him." Enter the Holy Spirit. I was lead to tell her of my fathers death and how my mother experienced the same thing. How I too had lost a wife to cancer. The Holy Spirit spoke to her of how she can say, goodbye but at the same time remember and celebrate the lives they had together.

Each day we should be finely tuned into the Holy Spirit. Luke writes, "¹² For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said.” Luke 12:12. So trust in God. He will give you the words to say to a total stranger and those words will be those of the Holy Spirit. Stop, Look and Listen to your heart it is the Holy Spirit longing to speak through you to say exactly what that hurting person needs to hear. Amen.