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| NjA Art & Photography |
Romans 15:2
“Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.”
“You cannot Love People without Listening to Them.”
Love begins with listening
Every act of love is rooted in the simple yet profound choice to pay attention. When you truly listen, you signal to someone that their thoughts, feelings, and stories matter. This attentive presence forms the bedrock of trust, intimacy, and genuine connection.
Why Listening is Non-Negotiable?
Presence: Giving undivided focus shows you value the other person’s time and being.
Empathy: Through empathy you step into another’s world, feeling alongside them.
Understanding: Words carry layers — listening uncovers emotions, needs, and unspoken truths.
Validation: Reflecting back what you hear affirms that their inner life is real and reflected.
The Cost of Being Unheard
When people aren’t listening, they drift toward isolation, walls go up, defensiveness takes hold, and love withers under the weight of misunderstanding. Overtime, repeated neglect of listening breeds resentment more poisonous than any harsh word.
Cultivating Deep Listening
✅ Silence Your Inner Narrator Pause judgments and solutions. Let curiosity, not critique lead.
✅ Ask Open-Ended Questions Invite stories, feelings, and reflections rather than yes— no answers.
✅ Mirror and Paraphrase Repeat back key points to confirm accuracy and show your tracking.
✅ Embrace Pause Allow comfortable silences — they give space for deeper truths to emerge.
✅ Notice Nonverbal Cues Eye contact , posture shifts, and tone all reveal what words alone cannot.
Beyond The Conversation
Listening isn’t just about gathering information — it’s a silent pact of mutual openness. When you listen without agenda, you invite the other person to lower their shields. In turn, that vulnerability enriches your bond in ways no grand gesture ever could.
