The Art of Listening - Karen Huffaker

Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another, to show love, and to do good. Hebrews 10:24 GNT

I’ve never been a big talker, but I'm usually a pretty good listener. By profession, I had to be. In my work, until negotiations reached a mutual agreement, I listened to employee issues and concerns, my internal customers’ needs and requirements, and my vendors. It was good training. I might not have agreed with them, but I had to listen and often needed to do this with a nod and a smile.

I was humbled by how little I knew and learned more by listening than speaking. Rather than imparting my wisdom to them, I obtained wisdom from them.

Over time and through many prayer requests, I pictured God listening to me with a nod and a smile. It was as if He were saying, “I know, my child.” He’s the best of all listeners, even though He already knows my burdens and needs. More importantly, He’s already got it covered in His own way and as part of His plan.

When I listen to others—especially God—I gain knowledge, wisdom, and understanding and grow in my relationship with Him.

As we seek to understand, we empathize and put their concerns before ours. Communication goes to the next level. We sense the depth of their sorrow and pain, and our hearts are burdened. So, we pray for and with them. Our desire is to help, encourage, and lighten their burden.

Listening lets others see how we value and care about them. Relationships develop when we care for one another. Our value does not consist in things but relationships. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we belong to the family of God—a growing family of relationships. By listening, encouraging, and showing love, they will see the kind of love Jesus has for us.

We all long for someone to care about us. Life is also more meaningful if we care for others. Think of someone in your circle who could use a listening ear, a nod, a smile of encouragement, or a word of comfort.

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Karen Huffaker is a freelance Christian writer. She has taught children’s Sunday school and single mom’s Bible studies and written poetry. She is from the Deep South and loves reading Christian books, devotionals, genealogy adventures, fishing, and all things family. She is also passionate about her grandchildren’s sporting events. 

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Settin’ Up - Martin Wiles

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 NLT

He had never “set up” before, but he was about to.

Jody Baxter ambled to the Forrester place to see his good friend, Fodder-wing. Fodder-wing was good with animals—especially naming them—and Jody wanted him to name his new pet, a fawn.

When Jody arrived, he received terrible news. Fodder-wing, his crippled friend, had died. Ma Forrester asked Jody to do something he’d never done before: set up with Fodder-wing’s body during the night. A common practice, but one Jody had never done. Uncomfortable and spooky though it was, Jody “set up” all night with his good friend’s body. 

The author writes, “He shared their sorrow, and they became a part of his, and the sharing spread their grief a little, by thinning it.” (The Yearling)

While not a custom for most any longer, I once lived in a region of my state where a form of “settin’ up” still took place. I had been accustomed, when attending a visitation for a deceased person, to walk through the line, hug the family members, express my condolences, and then leave. But in this place, everyone sat around and talked for the entire visitation period.

Paul called “settin’ up” sharing each other’s burdens, and encouraged early believers to do it. Doing so would fulfill the law of Christ and ease the pain of fellow human beings.

Settin’ up doesn’t have to accompany only times of death. We can do it in any tough times others experience. By doing so, we share their load—thin their grief—and any shared load is lighter.

We can set up through intercessory prayer. I once had a college professor who wrote down every prayer request a student mentioned … and actually prayed for them. We may not understand all the aspects of prayer, but praying for others functions in some unexplainable way—if for nothing else to make us sensitive to others’ needs.

We can set up by doing something practical. Don’t ask the person to let you know what they need. Just do something.

And if we’re financially unable to help when we know of a need, we can share the need with someone who can. In that way, we’re still sharing the load.

Make it a regular practice to do a little “settin’ up” with others.

Prayer: Father, as You “set up” with us, give us a heart to do the same for others.

Tweetable: Are you settin' up with others? 

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Love Fulfills - Martin Wiles

For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14 NLT

In a split second, their lives were changed.

Bobby and Jackie were a young couple with a small child. He had been called into youth ministry and was serving in a little church not far from Jackie’s home. Things were going well—until the accident.

Out of nowhere, a truck slammed into their vehicle. Jackie and their infant daughter, Angie, weren’t seriously injured, but Bobby’s life was changed forever. The wreck placed him in a vegetative state for the remainder of his life.

I was told the story when I became Jackie’s pastor. Angie was a young child without a father, Jackie was a young wife and mother who for all practical purposes had no husband, and Bobby lay in a nursing home fifty miles away.

I visited Bobby once a month, and every time one of his family members was present. They all took turns caring for him. Bobby was fed with a tube, but he still needed constant attention. Coughing spells racked his body. Fluids drained from his mouth and nose.

As I watched Bobby’s family tend to his special needs, I realized what the apostle Paul meant. For the committed Jew, the law consisted of the Ten Commandments, the ceremonial laws, and the laws added by the religious authorities. For Paul, it was simply God’s moral laws, and all of them could be obeyed by merely loving one’s neighbor.

I’ve seen enough love for the wrong reasons. The consequences are never pretty. But loving for the right reason paints a beautiful portrait. I can experience and demonstrate love because Christ has loved me. While I was still a sinner, Christ died for me and now gives me the opportunity to love for Him.

Loving others sets an example. As I watched Bobby’s family perform the unpleasant parts of caring for an invalid, I was reminded of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. The example was inspiring. My loving others gives an example to those who desperately need to see love in action.

When I love my neighbor as myself, I also point them to Christ. My words may not crack the hard shell of someone who doubts or disbelieves in Christ, but it’s hard to argue with acts of love. They say what my words can’t adequately speak.

Just ask, and God will give you myriad opportunities to put love for others into action.

Prayer: Father, give us the fortitude to love others as You love us so we might point a hurting world to a healing Savior. 

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