God gave us two ears for a reason. So, one of the most loving things we do for other people is to listen to them to understand. Not just respond.

Listening to understand is actually feeling what is being said in your heart. You feel each word being spoken. You keep your mind quiet. You don’t interrupt. You don’t think of a response while someone is speaking. You hear them with your heart.

Listening to understand is a skill that takes time and purposeful concentration to master. However, God gave us the ability to listen to one another as we want to be listened to. So, we certainly can choose to become a master listener because when we do, we are able to connect with other people in ways that make our heart sing. And our differences become less important. And our world becomes better.