Today’s catch phrase is

Listen to people’s hearts.

It takes work to be a good listener, doesn’t it? I think being a good listener is somewhat related to personality {introvert vs. extrovert}. Yet in all of us it is an art that must be cultivated and then shared.

Being a good listener is a gift that you can give to others. It takes grace and patience to stand before someone and see past the words that are coming out of their mouth. See into their hearts. Feel something with them. Share the burden and understand beyond what the words are telling you. Maybe we should call it “listening between the lines?”

Something that I have noticed with myself is this: If I perceive someone to not be a good listener, I usually don’t even try to share anything with them. So, on the flip side, I need evaluate that quality about myself as a pastor’s wife. Do I come across to others as a good listener? Am I a safe place for someone to release a burden and know that it will be carefully considered and sympathized/empathized with? It’s really not an issue of whether or not you have the gift of mercy or not {I don’t really}. It’s a matter of giving each person the heart attention that they need.

Now, I’m sure that all of us have found ourselves ‘trapped’ by someone who needs to tell us their whole life story and doesn’t seem to ever run out of things to talk about, leaving you nodding your head repeatedly and wondering how you will excuse yourself and make it to your next appointment without offending them. Of course we need to have boundaries and be able to gracefully keep people from eating up large amounts of time.

But I’m referring more to just being willing to listen to the heart that is right in front of you. Maybe it’s your husband or child. Maybe it’s a fellow staff member. Maybe it’s one of the ones whom you minister to.

Whoever it is and wherever it is, this is a challenge to go beyond surface with people. See past the walls and the cover ups and the personalities. Ask God to give you wisdom and grace to cultivate this very important art in ministry:

Listen to people’s hearts.