Feedback

It's almost comical at times the way God works. Sometimes He just pounds me over the head with His message. I would be a complete fool not to hear Him. (Shush! I heard that!)  As in all families, we are always on a path of growing, stumbling, and reassessing. One of the hardest things for anyone to do in the Christian walk, or perhaps even in the Atheist walk, is to hear honest feedback of areas that need attention. Yet it is an act of great wisdom to open one's ears to ways in which one can improve. It may be wise, but I think in general, most of us don't like it and don't embrace it in quite the perfect spirit. So lately, God made sure I heard with a completely literal lesson. No interpretation or clever analyzing required.

I have been testing two different hearing aid models. Since my hearing loss is not severe, the improvement with the aids is not astonishing. And to choose which aid helped me more seemed very subjective. So I asked the audiologist, couldn't they just test my hearing with the two different aids and come up with objective data to guide me in which to choose? They could. (Why I had to suggest such an obvious thing is beyond me.) Surprisingly, the findings showed I was hearing equally well with either, but my perception was that one was far better than the other! So she sent me home with my chosen aid, and it went wacky while I was using my laptop. I think perhaps the bluetooth on the computer was interfering with the bluetooth on the hearing aid and my ear was being bombarded with screeching, shrieking feedback. I couldn't stand it. It would come inconsistently and unexpectedly, and each time I would jump out of my chair. But it was feedback that could not be ignored!

Well that's how I have felt all week for my whole family. Each of us have received in varying doses feedback that is screeching in our ears. None of us like it. None of us want it...but we cannot ignore it. We would be foolish to ignore it...or if we ignore it long enough, we may all be deaf soon. While feedback is often unpleasant, it would be worse to be unable to hear it at all through a lifetime of letting it shriek unnoticed. Thank you Lord. Message received loud and clear.
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Hebrews 12:11 

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Proverbs 12:1 

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

Proverbs 13:24

Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

Hebrews 12:5-6 

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”