A pastor that I introduced recently to a local church shared his philosophy of his first year at the new church. "I'm going to listen and love." I was impressed. I've heard of pastors that come into the church with a plan or plans without having made time to listen and love. Someone once compared that to a doctor walking in to the examining room and prescribed treatment or meds without having touched the patient. Truly listening is a gift one can share with others. To not listen is an offensive posture. Yes, we get distracted, but as a leader in a church setting, we must listen. The common statement used by many is "God gave you two ears and one mouth so that we would listen twice as much as we speak." We can show love by listening. Listening leads then to processing and reflecting, certainly to prayer to discern with God's listening ear that which we have received.
We are also to show love. This was the new commandment that Jesus gave so that the world would know we are indeed His disciples. How we show love varies and depends on personal preferences, but generally, respectable demonstrations of genuine love. People who share with us many times just want us to listen. We may not have anything profound to share with them but we share love. To have spent time listening to them also shows them love.
Listen and Love. Build on that foundation for the relationships that matter to you.
