Gift of listening

From “The Gift of Listening,” by Anne Murchison:

• A good listener listens with spiritual ears open, hearing and understanding the spirit beneath the words.
• A good listener listens with the heart and mind still and the mouth shut.
• A good listener listens with compassionate spiritual eyes.
• A good listener listens with no personal agenda, maintaining involved eye contact.
• A good listener listens with compassionate spiritual eyes, maintaining involved eye contact.
• A good listener listens with a compassionate heart.
• A good listener listens with an attentive heart.
• A good listener listens with committed heart.
• A good listener listens without judgment.
• A good listener listens without fear.
• A good listener listens with faith, knowing that the Spirit of God is at work to will and do according to His good purpose.
• A good listener waits patiently, quietly and prayerfully through times of silence, making room for the unfolding of things previously too deep and too painful to even know or express.
• A good listener counts it a privilege to witness a soul in the process of transformation, even when it doesn't look like it.
• A good listener offers to explore options.
• A good listener offers to pray when the time of tears and sharing ends.
• A good listener waits to give advice until asked.
• A good listener offers a hug.
• A good listener recognizes that these are holy moments of eternal consequence.
• A good listener keeps all holy moments completely confidential.