LOVE LISTENS

“…Everyone should BE QUICK to LISTEN, slow to speak and slow to become angry” – James 1:19b (NIV)

Love does not only speak and communicate; LOVE LISTENS: “…be quick to LISTEN” (Jam.1:19b). This is one the greatest virtues of Love. Just as God gives attention, listens, and hears when we call to Him, so must we listen to others in order to gain understanding either of truth or of the one speaking. Until we listen to another we are ill-equipped to know their needs and seek their good. To truly listen also means to PAY ATTENTION.

We live in an A.D.D. world – a world plagued with Attention Deficit Disorder! It seems like everybody’s got A.D.D. as information and communication tools and technology leaves us perpetually distracted. We no longer pay attention to the people around us. When we walk into a meeting, virtually every one sitting there are looking at their phones and texting! Most heads are always down, engrossed in a video or word game, while earbuds keep many others from hearing the people around them. One could be at a restaurant with friends, but be more concerned about the “friends” on Facebook or Twitter!

Add to the technology-induced distractions, the hectic schedules and busy-ness of modern life. Most people feel like they need more hours in a day, more days in a week, and have too little time for sleep, recreation, and relaxation. With all of the activity, they feel as if they can give only brief attention to any one thing. Few individuals seem to have time to pause and really listen to another person. If we ask someone how he is doing, and he begins to give a real answer, we tend to impulsively think, “I don’t have time for this!” We often feel so busy and impatient. If we must have happier relationships, we cannot be solely focused on our selfish to-do-lists. We need to relearn the art of listening and paying attention.

Who could have been busier than Jesus? In just over three years, He healed multitudes of the sick, trained His disciples, taught a whole new understanding of the Old Testament, saved human­kind from sin, and set in motion revolutionary events. Yet, He took time to listen to a sick woman tell the whole story of her illness and faith-venture: “But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the WHOLE TRUTH” (Mk.5:33). He took time to talk with the woman by the well (Jh.4:6-30). Jesus gave undivided attention to Bartimaeus and Zacchaeus (Mk.10:46-52; Lk.19: 2-8). These are just few examples of how the Lord listened attentively, thus showing that Love Listens!

To follow Christ’s example is to take time to listen. The Bible says: “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil.2:4). Of course, this doesn’t come naturally. By nature, human beings would care more for their interests than those of others. We’ll naturally want the attention on ourselves, not on others. But the greatest gift we can give somebody is our attention because our attention is our time, and our time is our life. When we give our attention, we are sharing a very precious asset in life. This is a simple but powerful tool in growing strong relationships.

How interested are you in what your children are interested in?

How attentively are you listening to what your partner, friend or neighbour has to say?

How often do you give your co-workers attention when they speak to you?

Do you notice your neighbour as you walk by his or her frontage?

We must not allow social media to keep us from developing relationships with the people we live and work with. We need to learn to show others that we are truly paying attention to what they are saying or doing. The Lord is willing and able to shield us from carnal distractions. He is willing to train us in the art and attitude of listening and paying attention. Listening as an act of love will transform our relationships and help us live happy and fulfilled lives.