Listen to the right voice

Silton Townsend

Hello mi neighbour! So, which voice are you presently listening to? The good or the evil? Can you differentiate between these opposites? Mmmm. Every day conflicting voices bring ideas to our minds – some to do good, some to do evil. Depending on one’s state of mind in the moment, he/she may walk away from trouble or walk right into trouble. An expression often used in Jamaica is ‘if mi did know’. But if yuh did ‘look before yuh leap’, you would’ve decided otherwise. Be wise.

Growing up, we would often hear mama say, “get behind me Satan!”, with a stern look, or “thank yuh Jesus!” with a beautiful smile. We saw neither Jesus nor Satan but we knew that something unusual was going on. With time we understood the reason behind those expressions. She was either resisting the temptation to be indiscretionate in a given situation, or giving thanks for the strength to overcome evil with good. She was cognisant of the consequences of evil actions and the reward for good deeds. How many of us are?

Even little children in Jamaica know that Satan is about wickedness and Jesus is about goodness. If you are currently thinking about inflicting pain on a neighbour who might have caused you some discomfort, there’s no doubt concerning the voice to which you are listening. If you are thinking about forgiveness instead, guess who is whispering in your ear? That’s right, Jesus!

So what happens to you at the end of the day depends on which voice you obeyed. Both voices can be very convincing and tend to sound alike at times. If you are wise, you will not listen to that voice which tells you to rob, steal, kill, cheat, etc., to satisfiy an inner craving, because you know the outcome: pain, misery, suffering, jail term, etc.

So, a neighbour hurt your feelings and you start stewing. Thoughts on how to respond start flooding your mind. Some good, some bad. Some appealing, some appalling. An appalling thing happened right after sister *Jane came in from church a few weeks ago. In a fit of anger, her husband hit her in her head with a piece of pipe iron and she died on the spot. Wow!! Why? Which voice told him to hit the lady in her head? Which voice would have told him to walk away? Correct. But today one is dead and the other could be facing the death penalty. How sad.

Neighbours, if you and I would use our God-given ability to think twice before we act, the countless negative thoughts that enter our minds daily would have little or no impact on our decisions. Easier said than done? Point taken. Sometimes this ability may be compromised by stress, depression, anxiety, worry, etc. That’s true … pick up on that another time.

And guess what? All is not loss. Depression, anxiety, stress, etc., can be treated. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, exercise not only reduces anxiety but can also help to improve overall physical wellness and mental fitness. Adequate sleep is also critical in combating anxiety and depression. Moreover, it is said that sleep deprivation increases one’s risk of developing heart disease or heart failure. Vitamins and supplements must also be considered in treating those mental/emotional issues. For instance, there was a study, which showed that Omega-3 supplements can lower inflammation and anxiety. Hope I’m helping you.

We’ll leave it there for now. But remember, listen to the right voice, look before you leap and always seek divine guidance, especially in those moments when your actions could cause you to ‘dig your own grave’.