Why We Need to Learn How to Listen

If you have been keeping up with The Reckless Pursuit, we recently did an episode where we interviewed our friend, Kristofer Flatt, on what it was like growing up in a dual denomination household. Not only did Kristofer grow up in a Catholic household, but he also grew up understanding protestant churches as well. In our interview, we asked Kristofer what the biggest thing he learned growing up and he explained how we are all more alike than we realize. Denominations often tear the Church apart but honestly, what if denominations were only just different ways of worshipping the same God? When we are able to learn how to listen and understand those around us, we begin to realize that our opinions aren’t the only ones that matter.

We need to learn how to listen and understand those around us instead of replying and judging them because they’re different.

If we want to keep our relationships, we need to learn how to listen. Most of us listen to other people’s opinions in order to respond with our own opinions. However, we almost never listen to other people’s opinions in order to understand them. We are always wanting to have the last word in any argument. Keyboard warriors are always waiting for the next reply to jump on. Y’all, we have got to stop trying to shove our opinions down each other’s throats. If we were unable to sit and listen to each other to understand each other, we are only going to keep being divided.

In our interview with Kristofer, he mentions how he frequently meets with a group of friends to sit and talk about life. None of these friends are one in the same. The very thing that allows this group of friends to thrive is the fact that they are capable of listening to each other. They are capable of sitting down at Wendy’s, and listen to each other’s thoughts and opinions, and walk away understanding each other just a little bit more than before. Honestly, I think we need more of these Wendy’s moments. Can you remember the last time you sat down with someone over coffee or ice cream or french fries and truly sought after that person? In the society that we live in today, this is highly uncommon. But, I know we can do better.

We can be better people.