Hey, all you extroverts out there. Those of you you love to chat and talk and chat and talk.
I do believe it is a gift to be able to put ones thoughts out there, verbally. To be able to talk up a storm, literally. Some folks are very good at it. You can see their minds are at work barely before the words come out of their mouths. They think thoughts and those thoughts are expelled in huge bursts of information, sometimes even more than the listener can comprehend. I admire people who can do that well.
I have friends who are gifted that way. Very admirable.
Me, on the other hand, being the introvert, sit back and take in what is being said. I would far rather do that too. I don't express myself verbally very well. I can, if I have a specific topic I am passionate about. Then, the thoughts all come tumbling out. Normally though, I listen.
People have stories to tell. Deep, troubling stories that shake me. Stories that make my heart cry. Stories that make me wonder how they ever managed to survive. Stories that, while I hear them, I have little chats to God in my head about what is being said. Even though He knows about it, I let Him know of my concerns. I ask Him for help in my response to the story. I ask for wisdom to say the right things so as not to give wrong advice, if asked for.
It all happens so quickly, and I know it's not a real conversation happening but they seem to be the thoughts of my heart that fly to the heart of God. Inner things that happen between God and I. I can't explain it better than that.
There is a world of the Spirit that I know so little about, but know enough to know it's real.
When all is said and done, perhaps it's just that chatty extroverts have to express themselves, and when they do that, they don't get much of a chance to get a conversation going on in their head to God. They probably do that later, should they be so inclined.
Maybe I'm just making an excuse for my shyness.
Maybe I'm just making an excuse for not having a quick mind.
But still, there can't be all talkers in the world.
There has to be someone who will listen.
2 comments:
Is listening a gift?
Seems to me you use it well.
In some ways I find 'listening' to be about mediating. Sometimes people need to express their hearts to someone, even if it's not anyone in particular. There is power in speaking aloud that which is deep inside of us, and I think the 'listeners' are the ones who enable people to do just that.
So yeah, I think it can be a gift.
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