Listen
She
gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her. “You are the God who sees me,” for
she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” – Genesis 16:13
Hagar had
fled. She was done. She’d been unfairly used as a pawn by Sarai and Abram. Now
she was pregnant and being abused for it.
Back in
those days it wasn’t uncommon for a slave to be used as a breeder for children.
No one asked their permission. Why would they? Slaves – and women – were property
with no voice and no rights.
But here’s
the thing: God met her in that place. He didn’t ignore her or punish her or
demean her in any way. He heard her cry. He listened. Really listened. What an
amazing gift!
We are a
society focused on things. We buy things. We do things. We are quick to tell
others what to do and how to do it. We want to “help” them become who we’ve
decided they should be. But do we ever really listen to them?
It takes
time to hear someone. It takes focus and an openness we generally don’t want to
give. We want to throw a quick fix their way and be done with it. What a waste!
We’ve moved on but they’re left standing there with an empty heart and, likely,
resentment at not being heard.
Do you want
to give someone a gift? Listen to them. Really listen. Don’t focus on your
response. Don’t consider how you want to fix them or their situation. And don’t
focus on your “wise” advice. Just listen. It’s the greatest gift someone could
give to another person.
God didn’t miraculously change Hagar’s situation. He could have. Instead, God sent her back to her life as a slave. But she knew God was with her and her unborn son. God heard her. And in that moment that made all the difference in the world
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