January 5, 2011 – Sirach 22

In these chapters with so many great lessons it is hard to reflect on the whole thing.  But one section stuck out to me. 

21-22 – It is about losing the trust of a friend.  It says you can draw your sword, in other words fight, but this can be reconciled.  Treachery on the other hand will drive a friend away.  I don’t have a lot of close friends because, well I don’t know why.  I think I have a hard time trusting, but I can’t really think of a time when a confidence has been badly broken that would give me that fear.  But I do really try to be a good listener to others and have been told I am.  I think that is because they believe I will not betray their confidence.  I think that is a great attribute to have.  Most the time I don’t really have an answer for a person, but they really just want someone they trust to listen to them.  I think with the way we are all virtually out there and available all the time, people don’t think they can trust anything to be private ever.  I think it is rare these days for people to trust anyone and it is so hard to get back once it is broken, I am proud of keeping that gift.  We should all strive to be that trusting ear for those that need it.  That is all a lot of people need these days.  We all communicate a lot, but not a lot of it is very genuine.  People are constantly out there talking, I think, in search of a trusting ear.  Maybe that is our calling these days.  In a world that spreads a person’s personal secrets all over the world in the blink of an eye, we are called to be a source of trusting ears for those that need to get things off their chest.