The Fruit of Listening

The other night, as I was laying down with my wife, I made the comment that I have never been so emotionally invested in the lives of a large group of adults before and that it’s exhausting. And I followed it up by saying that children are easier than adults (we have been foster parents, group home foster parents, and house parents over the past 10 years of our lives as a family). Being the pastor of a church for almost three years now really is exhausting work, as there is a lot to be done, but it truly is a “labor of love”.

As I find myself more invested in those I pastor, I am reminded of the words which James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote, that we must be quick to listen (James 1:19). One of the first things that I have noticed about myself is that I have become a better listener. I have found myself becoming enraptured by the stories of life from those whom I pastor, hearing their ups and downs and everything in between. Hearing myself think those words and then type them onto this page is something that I would have never really imagined several years ago. I used to think I was a good listener, doing well to listen and understand. I was wrong. And, to some extent, I still am. But I am growing. To God be the glory!

The growth, or maturing as one might put it, of my listening skills has resulted in two different things: Being slow to speak and being more poignant in prayer. Being slow to speak is something that I have been growing in since August of 2016, but since becoming a pastor, it seems to have been fast-tracked as a major ministry tool. Yes, I consider being slow to speak a ministry tool. Sometimes, people don’t want to hear you talk, regardless of how good you are at it! There are more times than we realize that people want to be heard, they want to be listened to more than they want to be talked to. So we must do just that: listen and discern the time, if there is one, to respond. 

Secondly, my maturing in listening has lead to a greater and more fulfilling prayer life when it comes to praying for others. Taking such interest in the stories of those around me, from the past, present, and their hopes for the future has driven me to be able to love and pray better for those God has entrusted to my care as an under-shepherd of Christ. As I listen, I am learning to hear more than the spoken word, but those unspoken movements of the body, tonal inflection, and other signs that add to the gravitas of what I do hear with my ears. The work and wisdom of the Lord in the life of a listener is an amazing thing. 

Honestly, I have learned and grown just as much as anyone else here has since becoming pastor here, and for that, I praise the Lord and thank my family and my congregation for that. I still have my times where I don’t do well at listening as I am not perfect by any means of the word. However, growth is there. My prayer is that I continue in this regard, that I continue to listen not only to hear but to understand and be driven to love and pray for those in my care. Soli Deo Gloria!