cliche answers

Well I thought I would share a poem that i have written a while ago it's about listening and most of all seeing and not just expecting the easy answer of fine when you ask people how they are. It has convicted me and challenged me. I thought i had learned this lesson because i had been on the other side but I had to learn it again.

So it was Sunday at church we had heard some terrible news about a family who had lost their child due to an accident they had just moved to a different city. After church i was going to check my mailbox and a man from our church i know by face. I asked him how he was and was expecting fine,okay,good or any one of the other cliche answers. I caught myself and slowed down. He gave me the cliched answer and then a moment later he told me he wasn't fine he had been helping this family move to this other city. They didn't know this was going to happen and he was not okay he didn't understand. (I don't think anyone can understand this side of heaven) I listened gave a response and we both went on our way.
I am so in need of this poem as any one of you I wrote this poem long before this conversation I had with this man.

Listen past By: Natasha Meg

Fine
The word is off my lips before I can even think
You ask me how I am as we pass each other in the hall
Fine I answer
You don't listen for the truth beyond, you just pass me on your way
If you had waited maybe I would have given you a different answer
If you had looked me in the eye you might have seen the sadness lurking there
But you didn't you didn't even really want my answer
You didn't have time to wait,your busy
So you want my fine
You've got a thousand things on your mind
Fine
No I am not fine
So next time when we ask someone how they are
Please listen
please stop
please don't expect the fine
But be ready for the broken, the hurt, the angry,
Look beyond listen beyond the fine


Please know even if us humans are not great listeners God is there.

"In my distress I called to the LORD; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears."2 Samuel 22:7

"I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words." Psalm 17:6

May God bless you as you seek to follow him
Natasha