One way you can show love for others is by listening to them. The more you listen to another person, the more they feel loved by you. President Theodore Roosevelt is credited with saying, “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” When others believe they have a voice, they feel they have a place.

James 1:19 (NIV)

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…

It’s been said that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason: to listen twice as much as we talk. A person will never gain the respect of others if they cannot listen. Listening is more than just hearing, though. Hearing is the physical act of gathering information through the ears. Listening is the mental processing and emotional understanding of the information we take in. To listen well, you must be fully present in the moment, absorbing both the verbal and nonverbal cues of the person before you. Listening is the awareness of body language, tone, eye contact, and the conceptual context accompanying what is being said. Listening this way, you can truly know the heart of the person speaking to you. Businessman Peter Drucker, said, “The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.” 

Everyone has a story that deserves to be heard. We are all on a journey, and we are called to connect with each other and encourage each other along life’s path. People are not a means to an end, a checkbox on your religious agenda. Love others by listening intently and genuinely caring for them. In doing so, you will earn the privilege to speak truth and love into their lives.

Proverbs 18:13 (NIV)

To answer before listening—that is folly and shame.