I Murdered My Grandmother This Morning

The following story is told of president Franklin D. Roosevelt, who often endured long receiving lines at White House receptions and was tired of the small talk and flattering comments he received from White House guests.

Roosevelt decided that the guests were never really listening to what he was saying. One day at a reception he decided to try a little experiment. As each guest arrived and shook the president’s hand he smiled politely and said pleasantly, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.”As Roosevelt had anticipated, the guests responded with such comments as, “Marvelous!” “Keep up the good work!” “We are proud of you!” God bless you, sir!”It was not until the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his guest actually listened to what Roosevelt was saying. The ambassador leaned over and whispered, “I’m sure she had it coming."

Proverbs 18:13 says that it is folly and a shame to the one who answers a matter before he hears (and understands) it. One parent said that he did not understand his teenage son adding that he doesn't listen to me to which the reply came that understanding comes by listening to the person and perhaps he should listen to his son.

One father sent his young son to his room for being disrespectful to his grandmother. She repeatedly called him "honey" and he insisted that she not call him that. When the parents finally talked to him and actually listened, he explained that bears like honey and he did not want to get eaten by a bear. It was so important for the parents to listen to their little one as his young mind processed the word honey totally different than what was intended as a term of endearment by his grandmother.

I wonder if God has the same problem with us. Do we really hear Him as He talks to us or are we too busy trying to get our own point across. Jesus said in John 10:27 that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. Are we His sheep or are we like those who were only trying to impress the president Franklin Roosevelt? If I truly hear, I will follow His voice and commands. If you murdered your grandmother this morning, I truly want to hear from you what happened that made you do such a thing and figure out with you what we are now going to do about it. Did you murder your grandmother this morning?