Christian Business

You’ve heard the saying, “Talking is sharing. Listening is caring,” haven’t you? I saw it on a sign in front of a church a couple of years ago, and it caught my eye. In the last few weeks, I’ve seen it again several times. I’m not sure who first said it, but it really is true.

In a past devotional I shared an event that happened to me that week, and how I found God’s thoughts toward me to be such a comfort. I have to confess, I wasn’t prepared for the response I got. Most of my close friends contacted me to express their concern for me, and to reassure me of their prayers. A few even said, “If you need to talk about it, give me a call.” (That’s supposed to be my line since I’m the counselor!)

The fact that these people were willing to take the time to write an encouraging note, or even to call, meant so much to me. It should me that they were listening and that they cared about me. Those facts were obvious and it had a big impact on how I was feeling.

Our lives are crazy, always going straight from one thing to the next with little time to think or relax in between. In these busy times in which we live, many of us are not as committed to listening as we should be. It’s easy for us to be like this, but making some changes in our habits can make a big impact for others.

Listening says, “I value you. You are important to me. I’m concerned about what you are sharing because it’s important to you.” Yes, listening deepens relationships, builds trust, and affirms the other person. It’s a way of showing God’s love to those around us.

Throughout the Gospels, we see the Lord Jesus listening to people and their needs. In John 3, Jesus listened to Nicodemus, a prominent and righteous, Jewish leader who questioned Him about His teachings and His miracles.

In the book of John we read about Jesus listing to “the woman at the well” She was a shamed and sinful woman that he encountered at the well. Other religious leaders would have never thought to give her any attention, but Jesus did. None of the things that mattered to other leaders of that time (such as gender, religion, status, profession, etc.) stopped Jesus from listening to someone. He demonstrated an amazing model for us to follow.

Thank you, dear friends, for your care and concern. I want to let you know that my unpleasant event was resolved as well as it could be, and there has been reconciliation. Thanks for caring! Thanks for listening!

Heavenly Father, thank You for the wonderful people that You place in my life. Thank You for using them as Your representatives of love and compassion toward me. Please help me to be as thoughtful of others as they have been to me.

Ann Shorb is a counselor and the founder of CCES in Hanover, PA. They provide a variety of services including premarital counseling, marriage counseling, family counseling and much more.