When I was in college my internship supervisor had me read a book by Stephen Covey called “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Have you read it?  In his book, Covey says “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply. They’re either speaking or preparing to speak.” This is why Covey’s fifth habit of highly effective people is “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”

It has been 30 years since I read Covey’s book, but his thoughts on listening and understanding have stuck with me to this day, because I have to admit I have trouble listening sometimes. Too often, I’m guilty of preparing to speak when someone is talking instead of really listening to what they are saying.

Are you a good listener, or like me, do you struggle to listen sometimes?

Did you know that the simple act of listening can a blessing? Jesus knew this. I think this is why Jesus listened to a man who would only speak to him under the cover of darkness (John 3). I think this is why Jesus listened to a scandalous woman at a well in the middle of nowhere (John 4). I think this is why Jesus listened to two grieving sisters before he did anything (John 11). Jesus knew that the simple act of listening was a blessing, because when we listen, we show we care. Someone once said, “Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost undistinguishable.”  I think the person who said that had learned what Jesus knew a long time ago and modelled so well in the Gospels, that when you listen you care.

This weekend we are going to explore the second practice of our Everyday Rhythms, the “L” practice in the word BLESS. I hope you’ll join us this Sunday as we talk about “Listening with Care.” Together we will explore the story of a man named Philip in Acts 8, and we are going to discover what happens when we listen. 

See you Sunday,

Pastor Kirk