There’s a difference between hearing and truly listening. The infographic on the 5 Levels of Listening reminded me how often I linger in the shallower waters — waiting to talk, or distracted, only half-present. My lips may be closed, but my mind is rehearsing what to say next. It reminds me that listening isn’t just about ears — it’s about the posture of my heart.

Too often, I’ve caught myself in level one — quiet on the outside, but inside, already forming my reply. Other times, I’ve slipped into level two, where distraction steals the gift of being fully present. Yet, when I move toward the higher levels—understanding, recognising emotions, and even sensing what remains unspoken—that’s when true connection happens.

It echoes the call of Scripture:

The Hebrew word for “hear” in the Old Testament is shema (שָׁמַע). It doesn’t mean just to perceive sound. It carries the depth of obeying, understanding, and responding with the whole being. To shema is to listen with the heart — attentive, reverent, and ready to act in love.

When I choose to listen like this, I move closer to the image of Christ. Jesus listened deeply to those around Him. He heard the cries beneath the words, the blind calling out on the roadside, the bleeding woman pressing through the crowd, the unspoken ache of a rich young ruler. His listening was never hurried; it was spacious, healing, and infused with compassion.

To listen this way is an act of love and service. It’s recognising the image of God in the one speaking, honouring their story, their tears, their silence. It’s stepping into empathy, courage, and compassion—all threads that are woven into my core values.

And maybe the deepest form of listening is prayer. When I lean in and hear what the Holy Spirit is whispering beneath the noise of my own thoughts, I discover truth, healing, and direction. Listening, at its deepest, is more than a skill. It is a ministry of presence, a way of carrying Christ’s love into ordinary moments.

True listening is an act of love. It says: You matter. Your story matters. I see you. It invites us into empathy and even beyond — into discerning what is unspoken, what the soul longs to say but cannot find words for.  May I grow to be a listener who not only hears but helps heal.

A gentle challenge for today:

Ask Jesus to help you notice where you usually stop. Do you wait only to speak, or do you listen until you can hear what is unsaid? Let each conversation become a small altar where His love is made known.

Listening, at its deepest, is more than a skill. It is a ministry of presence, a way of carrying Christ’s love into ordinary moments. May I grow to be a listener who not only hears but helps heal.