Just Shut Up

I had a chance to talk to a very smart person yesterday who always seems to have a great handle on life even if they stumble through the journey just like me.  This person talked about the spiritual discipline of silence.  When I first heard that I honestly thought, “oh yeah, I remember that.”  In college I took the time to learn a lot of different spiritual disciplines.  Not just the spiritual disciplines of: reading the Bible, prayer, tithing and serving but the spiritual disciplines of fasting, responsive reading and silence.  There are so many of them and many of them are revealed to us based on where we are in our journey with Christ.  I had forgotten about the spiritual discipline of silence.

It’s the idea to listen to others without getting attacking, defensive or having any type of personal agenda.  This is a huge one in leadership, one that I know I need to get much better at.

What I appreciate about this person is even though they don’t have it figured out they still shared their journey.  Never once was I told that I should practice this discipline, but their excitement was compelling to me.  I appreciate this friend and the truth that they speak into my life.

Do you have people around you that challenge you with lifestyle and not just their words?  Do you have people who care enough about you to share their journey with you so you can grow as a result of it?