Listening: An Explorer's Key

One of the four roles in the CoJourner paradigm is Explorer--discovering where people are in their spiritual journey. Listening is a key for Explorers.

I recently read this quote from Henri Nouwen:

"Why is listening is so difficult? I'll tell you why. It's because you move away from being the center of attention and you inviting someone else into that space. When some one listens to us with real concentration and expresses sincere care for our struggles and our pains, we feel that something very deep is happening to us. Slowly our fears melt away, our tensions dissolve and anxieties retreat. Listening is so simple to do and it's a gift with tremendous healing power that we can offer to others."

From the book Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life by Henri J.M. Nouwen.

Imagine the power in our witness when we listen before we speak...