"My stupid mouth has got me in trouble..."

...I said to much again."

This post is a reflection on Module 4 of the Community of Hope handbook: Listening Skills

I think there are two reasons why I'm usually quiet and reserved, especially when I first meet someone.

First, I grew up with three sisters all within three years of age of me.

Second, it seems like the wires connecting my articulation skills to my mouth are loose. Therefore, I can never be certain that what I want to say will come out as it is intended, whether in syntax, context, meaning, anything thing else that could go wrong in that way, or any combination of these. This may be a reason I tell jokes so much-since the outcome is intended to be funny, odds are that whatever comes out will make people laugh.

Why, might you ask, would I ever want to pursue a career where talking to many people about many different things is in the job description. Furthermore, why would I even think about taking that a step further and go out and intentionally find people who need to talk and need some type of pastoral care. Crazy, right?

Here's where this lesson comes in, and I like it(surprising, eh, an introvert liking that he won't have to say as much he thought he would). In making these visit, wherever they are, pastoral caregivers are not there to tell anybody anything. They are there to listen, to remember the fact that we are given two ear and one mouth. And also to remember that while the people that we are going to see have the same, for whatever reason people forget they do a mouth, too.

"Alas", you say,"you are going to have to participate in the conversation some. You can't just sit there and not say anything." Well you would be right, my participation is require, and although my voice will be heard, the word I say will not belong to me. Gus Davis enlightened me to this fact. If we do it right, we will allow ourselves to be a channel for the Holy Spirit to enter into that person through our voice. Granted we are who we are-humans-and we tend to not let that always happen. But I would like to invite you to try it sometime. It doesn't have to be when you are intentionally giving someone pastoral care. Let the Holy Spirit move you and guide you. You may be surprised what you begin to hear.

"Mama said 'think before speaking' no filter in my head oh, what's a boy to do. I guess he better find one."