Good listening takes effort. Notice the traits of the people whom you enjoy
talking to, the good listeners. They show their interest with their eyes, posture, and the ways they react.
It’s a sort of indescribable mood that says, I enjoy listening to you.
You’re important to me. A calmness and patience about them
tells you, Take your time. I have nothing more vital to do at the moment than to hear what you have to say.
Take a lesson from Jesus. When you take your problems to Him in
prayer, does He just listen for a moment and then interrupt? Rarely.
He’s always there, always available, and always ready to hear you
out—to listen to your side of the story. He gets down on your
level.
He listens carefully to your words, but He also hears the muffled
cries of your heart. You know He understands.
Jesus looks at your motives, not at whatever mistakes or messes
you
may have made. He’s never harsh or condemning. He always holds out
mercy and hope and forgiveness. No matter how far you’ve strayed, He never stops
loving you.
Listening—really listening—conveys love. It conveys not only your
love, but also the Lord’s love for the person, which is
unconditional,
forever, and perfect in every way. Let others see Jesus in you by
trying to be as loving a listener as He is, and you won’t have a hard time
winning their hearts to Him.
Listening also has this important side effect: Once you’ve shown
yourself to be a good listener, others are more likely to be more interested in
and receptive to what you have to say when it’s your turn to talk. They’ll be
less defensive and more open to new ideas and views, and they will be more
understanding themselves.
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