Intertribal Life Newspaper -

As I've been conducting my duties as Chaplain at the Salvation Army in Edmonton, Alberta at the Edmonton Centre of Hope, I've been learning more and more about myself and others. I've also been conducting workshops and sessions at other not-for-profit organizations and churches. All of this has taught me my latest life lesson. That life lesson is that I need to listen more and speak less.

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When any of us is listening to someone else talk, we are often quick to want to jump in and tell a story from our life that is similar to the one being told by the person we're talking to. For instance, if someone tells a story of breaking their leg, we want to jump in to tell a story of how we broke our leg, or how someone we know also broke their leg. We love to compare stories.

As great as this is we often will spend more time on issues such as that, rather than taking the time to really listen to what the other person is saying.

Scripture says in James 1:19, "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."

Is this an area in your life that you need to work on? How can you listen better this week?

Dr. Parry Stelter is from Alexander First Nation which is part of Treaty Six Territory. He's an author, speaker, preacher, bible teacher, chaplain, blanket exercise facilitator and workshop facilitator.