We Need to Listen to Others

“Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.’ But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, ‘Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.’ But He answered and said, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me!’ And He answered and said, ‘It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.’ But she said, ‘Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus said to her, ‘O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed at once.” Matthew 15:21-28

One of the qualities that drew people to Jesus was His ability to listen. He listened with His entire being. That is why we see Him mingling with crowds of people and healing the sick. Jesus was the greatest communicator the world has ever known. He wasn’t worried about getting equal time in conversations or impressing those around Him. He was interested in building relationships. So He listened.

Jesus could sense the hurts and the frustrations on the faces of the people He met. He gave them freedom to express their deepest needs. Two of man’s basic needs are love and acceptance. That’s how the Savior listens to us, with eyes of acceptance and love. How do you listen to Him? Do you long to be near Him, to study His Word, and hear His heart about certain situations? Or do you rush through prayer, afraid of what He might say and require of you?

Until we learn to truly listen, first to God and then to others, we will never know the deeper side of Christ’s love. Only in listening for His voice can we truly experience the intimacy of His presence. Ask Him to help you become the kind of listener that He is to you. If you will listen, you will hear His voice.

“Love is an image of God...the living essence of the divine nature which beams full of all goodness.” -Martin Luther