Listening's Power

“Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable.” — David Augsburger

I’ve spent thousands of hours listening to people—in hospitals, hospice rooms, churches, and sacred silences. And I’ve learned this:

Listening re-humanizes those who feel invisible.

It interrupts shame with quiet, nonjudgmental presence.

It regulates the nervous system by offering gentle co-regulation.

It creates sacred space where the Spirit can move freely.

It returns people to themselves when they’ve been fragmented by life.

True listening isn’t passive. It’s love, embodied. It’s healing, incarnate. It’s ministry, even when no words are spoken.

If you want to love someone today, start here: listen.