Listening = Focusing

Last week I heard the phase, listening means focusing.  It doesn’t matter what type of relationship you find yourself in, if you want to do a good job with your half of the relationship you have to be a good listener.  Are you a spouse, a parent, a boss, an employee, or a friend?  If so, you have to be able to listen.

We cannot escape the necessity of listening.  So many of us look at our relationships and we see communication as a problematic challenge, rather than a God designed opportunity to reflect God, himself.  There is no sense of community without good communication.  God designed us for community.  He designed us in his image.  Right from the beginning of the Bible we see God in community with Himself.  A Biblical definition of God is: 1 God- in 3 persons-each fully God.  He said in Genesis let US, make man in OUR image.

Therefore, communication is not something that we should look at as a necessary evil, but as an opportunity to function in direct reflection of our Creator.  There is a sense that when we effort to communicate well we are efforting to reflect the greatness of God.

I believe it is our responsibility as followers of Christ to work hard to communicate well.  I can’t just say, “I have ADD, or I’m not a people person, or I’m a man…we’re just not good at communicating.”  So when I think about listening I must do more than just respond to what someone says to me, I must do more than just act like I hear them, I must do more than just allow the sound waves to make their way down my ear canal.  I must focus on the person that I’m communicating with.

As I focus on my wife when I’m talking with her, not only am I meeting a need that she has but I’m reflecting the image of God.

As I focus on my kids while they are talking to me, I’m not only showing them they are important to me, but I’m reflecting the image of God.

When I focus on the folks that report to me at my job, I’m not only helping them make our organization better, but I’m reflecting the image of God.

When I focus on my boss when he is talking to me, I’m not only keeping my job, but I’m reflecting the image of God.

What causes your to struggle to focus on those you must communicate with?  How can you improve your focus on them?  What must be eliminated from your life to help you be a better listener, and ultimatly a better reflection of your Creator?