BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

Commander Kellie’s Corner Listen Up! Listen up, Superkid! That’s not just my opening line, that’s what I want to talk about. Listening requires a certain something—special attention, dedication and a certain specialized skill to be able to REALLY listen. We know that listening is important in everyday life, but how does it shape your life at home, at school and most importantly, with Jesus? There are many reasons to be a skilled listener at home, but let’s talk about a few really big ones; PEACE, PROTECTION, OBEDIENCE and GROWTH. Parents are responsible to correct you when you are wrong, and to teach and instruct you every day. It’s not an easy job, but when you are listening, it does make it much easier. This not only keeps the frustration levels down for moms and dads, but it also helps when parents don’t have to raise their voices to be heard. You can actually make a big difference in having a peaceful home. Listening brings protection because as you listen and obey your parents’ instructions, corrections and directions, you will walk in wisdom and avoid dangerous situations. We’ve all heard our parents say, “Don’t touch the stove! It’s hot!” If you don’t listen, you don’t obey; and if you don’t obey…“OUCH!” Listening and obedience go together, don’t they? One is no good without the other. We can see this in Ephesians 6:1-3, "The Passion Translation:" “Children, if you want to be wise, listen to your parents and do what they tell you, and the Lord will help you. For the commandment, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ was the first of the Ten Commandments with a promise attached: ‘You will prosper and live a long, full life if you honor your parents.’” To be able to obey, listening comes first. What comes next speaks of the protection I spoke about. A promise is given: You will prosper (be a success) and live a long, full life. This includes protection and well-being. So how does listening make us grow? I’m not talking about growing taller but growing wiser and smarter, in other words, growing UP. When you listen to your parents’ instructions, little by little you become as smart and wise as they are! Even now as an adult, I walk in the wisdom and instruction of my mom and dad EVERY DAY! My parents worked hard to teach me all they knew about life and especially about Jesus. I didn’t always listen as well as I should have, but I quickly realized that things always worked better when I was an active listener. An active listener listens with a heart to be obedient. Sometimes I would listen with a plan to argue! Not good, huh? At times, I would be thinking about what I wanted to say to my parents instead of thinking about what they were saying to me. Usually, I didn’t know or couldn’t remember what they actually said! I was not always a skillful listener. Do you know who the best listener is? He is not only Someone we should listen to, He’s Someone we should LEARN listening skills from. Guess who? YES, Jesus! There are many examples of Jesus listening to His elders and learning from them. When His parents were searching for Him, they found him in the Temple, learning from the teachers and priests. The Bible says in Luke 2:46-47 ("King James Version"), “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.” Then it says in verse 51, “And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.” This means He listened to and was obedient to His parents. We see the promise from Ephesians come true for Jesus in verse 52, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” Jesus was a skillful and active listener. Because of this, He was a follower of His heavenly Father! All through His life on earth, He ALWAYS listened to the Father. John 5:30 ("The Message") says, “I can’t do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide. You can trust my decision because I’m not out to get my own way but only to carry out orders.” Do you see how Jesus listened? He already planned to do what the Father told Him to do before He even knew what it was. Superkid, this is important for us, because in the moment when Jesus was thinking about going to the cross to die for our sins, He didn’t want to do it! Matthew 26:39 ("TPT") says, “My Father, if there is any way you can deliver me from this suffering, please take it from me. Yet what I want is not important, for I only desire to fulfill your plan for me.” Superkid, LISTENING is the key to how Jesus was always obedient and able to follow the Father’s plan perfectly, even in the hardest choice anyone has ever had to make. Are we perfect like Jesus? No. Does Jesus expect that? No. But we GROW more complete and wiser as we LISTEN. Listen to our parents, teachers and, most importantly, listen to Jesus. In the easy times and in the hardest times, doing what is right and best becomes simple. And when it isn’t easy, there is a great reward to make listening worth it. Let’s LISTEN UP and we will GROW UP, so we can always be like Jesus and SHOW UP! COMMANDER KELLIE, OVER AND OUT! ♥ Kellie Copeland is responsible for Covenant Partner Relations at Kenneth Copeland Ministries and is the developer of the Superkid Academy curriculum. Through her ministry and as “Commander Kellie,” she fulfills the mission of drawing people of all ages into a personal, growing and powerful relationship with Jesus Christ. BVOV : 31

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