Why Didn't I Listen?

I'm pretty sure that we all have asked that question of ourselves at one point in our life or another, I know that I have on numerous occasions.  I was thinking about all of the kids who are graduating this year, and the fact that my daughter is now a senior and the possibilities of her leaving the nest soon, when I was hit with this thought of whether I've instructed her as well as I should have or not.  And as my thoughts went here, I began to remember things that I was told when I was her age. Those thoughts were muddied and took me a few moments to actually remember them because they were from so long ago.


I remembered a man coming to my high school and talking about saving for retirement, and how that we could have a pretty good sum of money if we would just set aside $10 a week.  Well, I didn't take his advice, and now that I'm approaching 50 I wish I would have.  Why didn't I listen?  For those of you who perhaps didn't know, if you started saving $10 a week when you're 20, then by the time you're the age in the left hand column below, you will have saved the amount in the right hand column.  

Age	Capital	Interest	Total
25	$2,600	$170	$2,770
30	$5,200	$700	$5,900
35	$7,800	$1,640	$9,440
40	$10,400	$3.050	$13,450
45	$13,000	$4.980	$17,980
50	$15,600	$7,510	$23,110
55	$18,200	$10,710	$28,910
60	$20,800	$14,680	$35,480

I remember thinking at that time, who's got $10 to set aside?  I've got things to buy and places to go, I can't do without $10 a week.  Of course back then gas was like .55 cents a gallon, and a pack of smokes was like .90 cents.  (Yes I was a smoker back in the day.)  The thing is, I didn't listen, and today I don't have any money in savings.  Why do you think there are so many older people in the work force today?  It's not all because they lost their life savings due to investment fraud.  A lot of them didn't plan ahead, and this is what they are forced to do now.

Proverbs 1:8 says, "Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching."  God tells us what to do, but I know that so many of us kind of only half way listened when our parents spoke to us, and then we only heard the parts that we wanted to hear, didn't we?  I know that for me, I didn't always listen.  And I'm like that with God too I think.  I hear Him, when I want to, but when I want to go my own way, I do.  And then when I end up in a place that I don't like, I wonder, "Why didn't I listen?"  Some days I'm just not as grown up as I'd like to think I am.

It's kind of like when you're talking to someone on the phone, and you know that they aren't really listening, how does that make you feel?  I know that if I'm talking to someone, and I realize that they're not really paying attention to what I'm saying, or listening to me, I'll just say, "Hey, gotta go!"  and get off of the phone.  I figure if I'm not worth their time, then why waste it on them.  I wonder if God ever feels that way? Thankfully He said in Scripture, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  (Hebrews 13:5b)

I know that I need to listen more.  I heard it said one time that God gave us two ears and one mouth because we need to listen twice as much as we need to talk.  I am thankful that my Father God listens to me when I talk to Him, but I'm much more thankful that He forgives me quickly when I don't listen, then He guides me in the way that I should go.  And one thing I love about God, is that He will redeem the time that we've wasted.  It's just that's not the best will that God has for us.  He would much rather we listen and learn and live in His perfect will for us.  So listen up kids, if you haven't been paying as close attention to those adults around you, now's the time.  Listen to what they tell you, and to what God tells you, that way you won't have to ask yourself at 50, "Why didn't I listen?"  Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!