I've come to realize that we've lost something in recent generations that was once a very vital piece of life. We've lost the ability to really listen to people. I'm guilty too, so don't take me the wrong way, but sometimes I observe conversations and I balk at how inconsiderate we can be. We don't look each other in the eyes anymore, it's too uncomfortable for some reason. We don't let people express themselves completely, we're too eager to interrupt with our own similar experience. We don't respond with pulling questions to find out more, we're just not interested or empathetic enough to go any deeper.
I do have some really great listeners in my life and being in a group or conversation with them is always so rewarding. I can tell that they care about me by the way they give me a voice above all the noise. I actually feel like I can be me and be loved unconditionally. I can reveal things to them from my heart and not be afraid of how they will respond because I know they want to hear my heart and not just my words.
James 1:19 says, "Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear." (MSG) How can we lead with our ears? What will it take to get that lost art of listening back? Will it be slowing our lives down? Perhaps biting our tongues for a few extra minutes? Crucifying our pride and assumption that we have something more important to say than our conversation-mate? Intentionally caring for a person enough to hear and understand the heart behind the words? Look them in the eye when they are speaking?
Let me know how you've developed your listening skills . . .
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