Stop, look and, uh, listen

As a school kid I was repeatedly warned to "stop, look and listen" when approaching a railroad crossing or street intersection. They probably still teach that in school -- I hope! There are lots of precautions of that kind that we learn as youngsters: wash your hands, cover your mouth to cough, don't go with strangers, don't play with matches, and the like. They're all intended to make us aware of the potential dangers of our environment and to keep us safe.

Stop, look and listen can also be helpful counsel for the spiritual life. The Bible advises us to 'Be still and know that God is really God.' There's a stillness that has more to do with our internal life than our outward activity. That's what I think of as "Stop." It's an inner calm -- even in the midst of external busy-ness -- that comes from knowing God.

The "Look" suggests taking it all in: the wonder of the natural world that God has made, the amazing expanse of human enterprise and expertise, the good, the bad, the ugly. Some of what we see evokes feelings of praise for God. Some of what we see makes us sad or angry. Some things stimulate a compassion that requires action. Jesus once told his followers, 'Lift up your eyes and see, there's a spiritual harvest out there!'

And the "Listen" part, of course, has to do with our capacity to really be present with those we love, those with whom we work, those we interact with from day to day, even the casual visit. From a faith-sharing standpoint, it's the listening that makes our witness relevant to someone else. And at another level, we listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit, particularly in our relating to someone who does not yet know God. Speaking not so much literally as spiritually, Christ said, 'If you have ears, hear what the Spirit is saying.'