Dear One,
I was in a meeting last night. All was rolling along smoothly until we got to the point where several of us didn’t see eye to eye on a certain matter. I felt the cogs in the wheel of my spirit get stuck as I inwardly began to dig in and defend.
I reminded myself to remain open, even as other parts of me desired to convince these precious people to see it my way. *Sigh.*
This morning I was processing this in prayer when Holy Spirit kindly reminded me, “Jenny, you could have become curious.”
I could have become curious🤦♀️. Yes. Yes, I could have. If only I had remembered!! Instead of clamming up or closing down, I could have leaned in to listen:
- Tell me more about that …
- I’m curious to hear your experience with …
Curiosity opens. Curiosity explores. Curiosity wonders, because curiosity does not yet know. It hasn’t reached a conclusion, hasn’t made up its mind, is open to both dialogue and discovery.
Here’s to losing my assumptions & presumptions long enough to look, to listen, to lean in and learn.
Curiosity may have killed the cat, but what killed the cat just might contain our cure. It may be the very ointment for what ails us these days:
- Asking, more than answering.
- Exploring, more than expecting.
- And opening more than opinionating.
No wonder Jesus told us to become like little children.
Cultivate Curiosity: Our Little Life Words of the week.
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DEEPER DIVE
Ponder:
- Recall a time when it may have benefitted you to become more curious about something, someone, or some situation.
- How might it have changed things?
Practice:
- Look, listen, lean in and learn.
- Discover one new thing about something or someone every day this week.
- Instead of closing, become curious about something/one you disagree with. Be open to having your view challenged, even if just a wee little bit.
- Play with a curious child (or cat😂).
Play:
- Our song of the week is: I’m Listening by Chris McClarney.
Pray:
- Deliver me, God, from my defended state.