Gems of Knowledge

Today’s One Year Bible Verses: 2 Chronicles 24:1–25:28, Romans 12:1–21, Psalm 22:19–31, Proverbs 20:8–10

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Slow Down and Pay Attention

How much do we miss simply because we are moving too fast?

We hear the first few words someone says and start preparing our response before they finish. We react to something that upsets us before we understand what really happened. We make decisions because we want an answer now, speak because silence feels uncomfortable, and sometimes rush ahead of God because waiting feels like doing nothing.

But what if waiting is where some of the most important things are learned?

In today’s Gem of Knowledge, the Lord whispered,

“Be patient in all things. Take more time to be patient. It will teach you much. You will gain more insight, understanding, compassion, and love, if only you will slow down. Slow down your speech, reactions, actions, interactions. There’s much there to be seen and learned if you would slow down. Observe, listen, watch, wait. You’ll be surprised what happens.”

As I read this, I couldn’t help but notice how closely it resembles what the Lord told us just day before yesterday. In the Gem about looking before we leap, He said:

“Always use caution. Look, watch, listen, pray, discern.”

Yesterday: Look. Watch. Listen. Pray. Discern.

Today: Observe. Listen. Watch. Wait.

When God repeats something, I think it’s worth paying attention. Maybe He is teaching us that discernment requires patience. We can’t properly discern what we haven’t taken time to observe. We can’t understand someone we haven’t truly listened to. And it is difficult to hear God’s direction when we’re already running ahead with our own response.

Today’s reading in Romans fits this lesson beautifully. Paul tells us, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2, NLT). He goes on to tell us to genuinely love others, be patient in trouble, bless those who persecute us, live in harmony, and overcome evil with good.

Those things require us to slow down.

Patience creates space between what happens and how we respond. In that space, we can pray. We can listen. We can notice the hurt behind someone’s words or realize that our first impression wasn’t quite right. We give the Holy Spirit time to turn an emotional reaction into a Christlike response.

We see the danger of refusing to slow down in today’s reading from 2 Chronicles. Joash followed the godly counsel of Jehoiada for many years, but after Jehoiada died, he began listening to different voices and eventually rejected God’s warnings. Amaziah also began well, but after becoming proud of his victory, he refused wise counsel and entered a battle he didn’t need to fight.

Both men might have benefited from doing exactly what God is reminding us to do: observe, listen, watch, wait.

Romans 12:15 tells us, “Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep” (NLT). We cannot do that if we’re too busy preparing our own response instead of actually hearing them.

Sometimes loving people means listening long enough to understand what they’re saying.
Sometimes wisdom means waiting before giving our opinion.
Sometimes obedience means praying before making our move.

Not everything requires an immediate response.
Not every offense needs an answer.
Not every decision has to be made right now.

There may be something you haven’t seen yet. So, perhaps, God really is emphasizing something to us right now:

Slow down!

Look. Watch. Listen. Pray. Discern.

Observe. Listen. Watch. Wait.

Give God room to show you what you might otherwise miss. You may be surprised what happens. 💎

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Action (5 Minutes with God)

Slow down enough today to take just 5 minutes to be with the Lord today. Ask Him:

• “Lord, what do You want me to know about this personally?”
  • Journal what He gives you through His Holy Spirit.
• Then ask, “What do You want me to do?”
  • Journal what He reveals – then do it!

Today, intentionally slow down. Before answering, deciding, or acting, ask God, “Lord, is there something You want me to see before I move?” Then take time to observe, listen, watch, pray, and wait for His direction.

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Prayer

Dear Lord, teach me to slow down. Help me listen before I speak, pray before I react, and discern before I act. Give me patience to notice what I might otherwise miss and compassion to understand others before judging them. Quiet my own thoughts enough to hear Your direction, and teach me to move at Your pace instead of rushing ahead on my own. In Your beautiful name I pray, Jesus, amen.

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