Pieter is an ordinary businessman, but he sounds like a philosopher in his one sentence email to me. His words are simple, but if we could achieve this, the world would look completely different:

We often underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a friendly word, an ear that listens, an honest compliment, or even the smallest caring act – all with the potential to change a life.

Each of them is a topic for a sermon, but the middle one really jumped out at me. We have to listen. We must tune our ears that we can really hear when someone talks to us.

Many times, we are busy reading or typing on our phones and when someone calls us, we say yes, but at the same time continue what we were doing on the phone. We listen, but we don’t actually hear.

We all do it.

A man calls his wife. He tells her he is tired. He can’t go on. Life is just too hard They don’t have to worry; provision has been made for them. Just after the call he takes his own life.

It was not the first time that he had said he can’t go on. It’s been coming for some time, but the people around him didn’t listen. They didn’t hear him crying for help. Until it was too late.

Yes, I know life is speeding by and if you come to a standstill, you’ll fall off – or that’s what we think. But it’s important that we stop, and listen when someone talks to us.

We have to be an ear for the people who speak, but no one listens. You might just save a life.

What our loved ones say reveals what is in their hearts. Between the lines of their broken words, you can read the suffering and see the questions. This is where we can make a real difference if we give them an ear and really listen.

¹⁹Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.

The problem is that we already predict in our minds what the person wants to say or is going to say. We don’t have time to waste and jumps in with we think the other person should hear.

Eish, how many times have we missed to target? How much damage we could’ve avoided if we had just given the other person the opportunity to say what they wanted to say?

Put up a note somewhere. Guard your mouth. Give you mouth a delay or pause button and don’t speak until you have listened and heard.

Scripture
James 1:19-21

Reflection
Why do you struggle to listen?
Who do you have to give more time before you speak?
What can you do to make yourself listen first?

Prayer
Father, I know I have this flaw inside me. That’s how I am. Often I don’t give people time to say what they want to say. Help me to pause a little before I say what I have to say. Help me to listen and to hear. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.