Be the Brother Who Listens

Sometimes when a Brother begins telling us what is going on in his life, we immediately start thinking about what we should say.

We look for advice.

We remember a similar experience.

We begin preparing an answer before he has finished telling us the problem.

But sometimes a Brother isn’t asking us to solve anything.

He simply needs someone to listen.

There is a quiet kind of Brotherly Love in giving another man our complete attention.

Put the phone down. Stop thinking about what you’re going to say next. Don’t interrupt his story with your own.

Listen long enough to understand—not merely long enough to respond.

You may discover that what sounded like a complaint was actually worry.

What sounded like frustration was disappointment.

What sounded like anger was really a man carrying something heavier than you realized.

We cannot always fix what another Brother is facing.

But we can make certain he doesn’t have to carry it without being heard.

Today’s Work:
During one conversation today, deliberately practice listening.

Ask a question.

Then give the other person enough time to answer it completely.

Resist the urge to immediately offer advice or tell your own story.

Just listen.

Tonight, ask yourself:

Did I really hear someone today—or was I simply waiting for my turn to speak?

Masonry works when it’s done daily.

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