Listening

The Disciplines devotional this morning started me thinking. The author focused on listening. Do we value listening enough? Do we listen? Do we consider that it is important?

In the lectionary reading this week about Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-14), the commander comes to Elisha with preconceptions. Do we fail to hear people because of our preconceptions -- about what they are going to say, about who we think they are? Is that really listening?

Do we listen to people while planning what we are going to say next? Are we so focused on our own agendas and our own thoughts that we can't hear what is being said to us? Is that really listening?

Do we try to listen to someone while at the same time focusing on something else? Are we really that good at multitasking, or do we just think we are? Is that really listening?

What is listening? Could it be that listening is an expression of love? Do we realize that listening to someone validates who they are? Listening to someone, focusing on that person to the exclusion of our own agendas and thoughts, says that the other person, "You are important, and you are interesting enough and important enough to me for me to set aside what I am doing to listen to you."

Listening with our hearts is an expression of love.