Lead with Listening
THE POINT:
One of the most important and powerful relationship skills is to listen and discern another person’s situation.
WORDS THAT BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
“Wow! That’s really cool and I’m genuinely excited for you.”
“What can I do to help you?”
THE POWER OF LISTENING
Proverbs 18:13 (NKJV)
He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.
Proverbs 18:13 (NLT)
Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.
ADVANCED LISTENING
· Asking questions
· Reading reactions
· Listening to the Holy Spirit
Mark 8:27-29 (NIV)
Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ."
John 21:17-19 (NIV)
The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."
Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
|
|
Acts 17:22-23 (NKJV)
Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious;
for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you:
Mark 2:6-12 (NIV)
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
"Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things?
Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'?
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralytic,
"I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."
He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
John 4:7-9 (NIV)
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"
(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
John 4:16-18 (NIV)
He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."
"I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband.
The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
WHAT THEN SHALL WE DO?
· Practice saying and meaning:
o “Wow! That’s really cool and I’m genuinely excited for you.”
o “How can I help you?”
· Ask the Holy Spirit to give your knowledge and discernment in everyday situations, especially those involving stress or conflict.
|
