NearnessNäide

“Are you Listening?”

“Of course I am!”

But if we’re honest, sometimes we’re not really listening—we’re just waiting for our turn to speak. While someone else is talking, we are rehearsing what we want to say next, convincing ourselves that our story is more interesting, or more important.

How often do we ask someone how they are doing, only to zone out before they’ve finished answering? Do you even perhaps respond quickly without pausing to really hear their heart? Or… maybe you’ve started to speed read this devotion and are itching to move on to the next thing!

For some, listening well and having a cool spirit comes naturally. But for many of us, it’s something we must work at. Proverbs reminds us that wisdom is often displayed not in how much we say, but in how we listen and how we restrain our words.

Intentional listening is an act of love. It slows us down and humbles us. It reminds us that other people’s stories matter just as much as our own. When we listen, we open ourselves up to understanding others better—and sometimes, to receiving wisdom we didn’t expect.

Today, ponder this: The next time someone speaks to you today, prayerfully pause. Really listen. Ask follow-up questions. Focus on their story. Engage fully. And if the moment calls for it, don’t hesitate to offer prayer. Pray with them then and there. It might be exactly what they need—and what God wants to do.