Do You Hear What I Hear?

Colossians 4:6 always let your conversation be seasoned with salt, that is, with winsomeness (grace), so that you may know how to make a fitting answer to everyone. Williams Translation

Let the conversation continue.

But, do you really want the conversation to continue. It started out as casual, but the same story is again resurfacing from the other person and the sips are less out of their coffee cup and more frequent out of your coffee cup.

Inwardly you are bored and change the drift of the conversation. You do not want to hear their story again. But, you did not hear their story the first time and you don’t here the story now. It is akin to the prophets and the Apostles and disciples who rehearsed and rehearsed their story about God to the peoples and they listened less. The person across from you wants you to hear their “rehearsal” story. You are trusted by them and they want you to hear.

Hear, what?

Hear you ask the first question about their story. Which could be, “When you lived back then what was going on?” What are the facts?

Stop, because you must know the end results before you start. No, not the end results of their rehearsal story, but the end results in general. Those end results will be one of two disclosures made by the person, either their joy or their pain. You must know this, because the closer you get to their joy or pain, you might cut off hearing their story. Why? You are hearing the truth about them and you might hear the truth about your joy or pain.

People will tell you about their past, because they prepare for the future. As you hear their story you are one of the most trusted person’s in their life. I have found that even in a casual situation I have been elevated to “near and dear” because I heard the persons story. This has been true even of a complete stranger.

So, what is so big? Well, listening is a very neat personal ministry. It is an entry to evangelism, a time to repair sin issues and a time to pray for the joy and pain of your friend or friends.

Think about what resolution you can bring to a friend by listening to their rehearsal story, anniversary story, reinvestment story or I know someone or thing story. .

Next time you are listening to a rehearsal story, explore the story with the person. You may not have the process take place at one conversation, but you will be trusted and the person will tell you the story again and again, until you hear it all.

Go for it!

“Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.”
Fanny Crosby