As a minister in the Church of the Nazarene, one of the first things my husband has always stressed while counseling couples preparing for marriage is the necessity to communicate with one another. Without communication, how will others know what we want and need? Without communication, how will we know their wants and needs? The important thing about communication is not merely in telling others our wants and needs, however. Communication is a two-way street, where we listen as well as speak.

The other day I was watching a program on TV and was astonished to hear a young woman monopolize all the conversation. The poor man she was talking to could hardly get in a word, and when he did, she kept interrupting him. It made me stop and think about my own communication with others. Do I listen as much as I speak? Do I take an active interest in what others are saying, or is the conversation all about me?

Have you ever noticed how people seem to light up when you ask about them or take an interest in the things they are doing? It’s a joy and a privilege to really listen when others are talking, because we can often learn a lot about that person, which in turn, will draw as closer to one another.

First Timothy 6:18 reminds us that we should be willing to communicate. Is there someone you need to communicate with today?