Editorial: Listening is an Art

Many books have been written on the art of listening. And, truly, it is an art. Many of us seem to be good at talking, at sharing our opinions—hence the popularity of platforms like blogs, Facebook and Twitter. But, to be quiet and hear what others are saying—what ideas they are expressing, what experiences they are sharing—is when we can actually learn something about life, love, friendship and how to get along with others.

Story by Beth Michaels

Many books have been written on the art of listening. And, truly, it is an art. Many of us seem to be good at talking, at sharing our opinions—hence the popularity of platforms like blogs, Facebook and Twitter. But, to be quiet and hear what others are saying—what ideas they are expressing, what experiences they are sharing—is when we can actually learn something about life, love, friendship and how to get along with others.

Although we know that communication is a “two-way street,” it’s been said that it happens better when there is more listening involved. The late famed psychologist Carl Rogers even once said, “Man’s inability to communicate is a result of his failure to listen effectively.” People want to be heard. They want to know that their ideas, their feelings matter.

Not surprisingly, the Bible isn’t mum about this skill. It conveys the importance of listening through verses like, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak” (James 1:19, NIV), and “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15, NIV).

More importantly, it shares that God is listening to us. We see this in the story of poor, unloved Leah. The Bible states, “And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son” (Gen. 30:17, NKJV). When the Israelites whined about their journey into the wilderness, it says, “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel’” (Ex. 16:11-12, NKJV).

My personal favorite is, “The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous” (Prov. 15:29, NIV). What a comfort knowing that my God cares about what I have to say; He chooses to listen to my pleas.

We Hear You

Here at the Visitor, listening has become a large portion of our job. Not only do we keep our ears (and eyes) piqued for stories that we hope will inspire, engage and connect you, our members, with the larger church family, but we also continue to seek ways to get your feedback. We want to hear what you like and don’t like about the stories we share. We want to know your opinions on issues and news that affect our church family. And, we want to know what is going on in your lives and how we can pray for you.

Connect with us on Facebook to answer questions we pose; to share your opinions; and to post your

pictures, prayers and praise. Respond to posts and questions we post on Twitter, or simply share daily inspiration. Share your comments and ideas when we conduct Facebook and Twitter chats on topics that impact you. And, give us feedback when we post stories on our newly dedicated website (columbiaunionvisitor.com). Truly, we are listening.

Beth Michaels (bmichaels@columbiaunion.org) is Visitor magazine editor and associate director of communication for the Columbia Union Conference.