To communicate effectively, careful consideration must be given to listening thoroughly with an open mind. Thorough listening does not mean racing ahead in your mind to formulate a response or rebuttal. For words to have value, they must be received with the same degree of importance as when spoken by the other person.
So a basic principle for effective communication is listening with empathy. Empathic listening includes identifying with and understanding another person's feelings along with their spoken words, even when the other person is trying to hide their feelings. Camouflaging your own feelings is done to avoid exposing tender vulnerabilities.
The objective of deliberate listening is to evaluate the spoken words. God gave us the willingness to listen so we could understand others. He repeatedly admonishes us to listen deliberately to him. By listening carefully, we demonstrate that his words as well as the words of others have value and are worthy of our love and appreciation.
Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of
you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. Your souls aren’t harmed by what you
eat but by what you think and say!”
~Mark 7:14-16 The Living Bible
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