How Important Is Listening As We Share the Gospel?

2/11/16               Juan             25

Gospel preachers are often admired for their speaking abilities, but how important is it to listen?

It’s not that sharing the actual words of the Gospel isn’t important, but words are useless when they fall on deaf ears. Being a careful and active listener can help us to “earn the right to be heard” and to speak words of truth into the lives of people where they need to hear them the most.

My listening skills were put to the test when I reached out to a young father at a McDonald's named Juan with a conversation-starter question – “What do you think happens after this life?”

His answer was generic and cautious: “Well, some people say there is a heaven, while others say we are reincarnated…” etc.

“But what about you? What do you believe?” I asked. His whole countenance seemed to change as he broke into a huge grin, his eyes lit up and he said “I will be with my Savior, Jesus!” He was even more animated when I asked if he would tell me his story, and I listened for the next 45 minutes as he told me of how he came to faith in Jesus and the rocky road he has been on both before and since.

Juan gladly received the various words of advice that I spoke into different issues as he described his journey, but he was also appreciative – immensely – simply that someone cared enough to ask and to take the time to listen.

Do you want to share the Gospel and its truths? Learn to listen!