Just Listen

A Norvell Note 

Vol. 21 No. 38 | September 23, 2019 

I recently saw a cartoon showing a man opening the door to leave his house, and all his devices start asking where he's going and when he'll be back. 

I think this illustration was trying to communicate several messages, including the fact that his devices were asking the questions his family should have been. 

I recently did some intensive research (okay, I Googled it) to see how many messages the average person receives on a daily basis. 

Here's what I found (keep in mind, some results are 2-3 years old):  

●    70% of StopAd users block an average of 200 ads/day on Windows desktop devices alone. (I’m admittedly not really sure why anyone would be using a Window device). 

●    If folks from the marketing firm Yankelovich, Inc. (are right, the average modern person is exposed to around 5,000 ads per day. 

●    On average, Americans send and receive about 94 text messages/day.  

●    By the end of 2019, we can expect to see 2.9 billion email users worldwide (which is more than one-third of the global population).  

●    Approximately 269 billion emails were sent and received each day in 2017. According to Statista,  that figure is expected to increase to 320 billion emails/day in 2021. 

Point is, we receive a lot of messages every day. 

I suppose that is why, every time I read through the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament, the word "listen" jumps off the page. 

Here are a few lines from the first chapter, and there are twenty others throughout the rest of the book.  

Let the wise listen and add to their learning,     and let the discerning get guidance. (Proverbs 1: 5) 

Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. (Proverbs 1:8) 

But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm. (Proverbs 1:33) 

With so many messages coming at us every day, it’s important to have a discerning filtering system to make sure we are hearing what we need to. So here are a few simple suggestions that help me: 

1.    Turn off some of your devices for designated periods of time and focus on the things and people who are important to you. Ask you, friends and family, to do the same.  

2.    Be very selective about what you watch, listen to and read.  One of the great things about the technology we have today is that we have the option to choose what we watch or listen to.  And I know this seems unheard of, but every device has an "off" switch.  

It’s also important to block or “unfriend” people who are toxic or not enhancing your life in a positive way. Most will never know you've blocked them, so you won't hurt their feelings.

3.    Set aside some time to just be quiet and listen every day, even if only for a few minutes. Take some deep cleansing breaths and just listen to the silence, to the breeze, to your loved ones, and to the Lord. You'll be amazed by all the messages you’ll receive...the kind you won’t want to block. 

_____________________________ 

Tom Norvell's Coaching & Counseling

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