Devotional 2-8-13

Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness..." 2 Corinthians 3:12

What does it mean to act with boldness?

Have you ever thought of being bold in listening? One of the devotions I read this morning spoke about “bold listening.” Are you bold in your listening? Do you hear what people are telling you? I often say my husband has a face that encourages people to talk to him. He has a great face, but that's probably not why people tell him their stories. He's a bold listener.

Being a bold listener means opening your mind to hear what another person is saying. Bold listening requires that we set aside everything else, for just that moment, and give listening to the person in front of us our highest priority. Hearing that person’s words becomes the most important thing in that moment. It means we set aside judgement and self-righteousness in order to hear the heart of another person.

Bold listening creates a kind of vulnerability -- opening up oneself to the idea that someone else could change your mind -- or change your actions. It means opening up to the idea that someone else's story might prompt you into a response that could help the other person. Bold listening implies that the words spoken by someone else might ring with the truth of God. It requires allowing oneself to love that other person. It’s not easy, but it is bold.

Being bold for Christ means being vulnerable. Bold listening is bold because it places our own needs behind the call of God on our lives. God calls us to bold love. Bold love is patient and kind. It is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way.... Sound familiar?

Have the courage to love each other with boldness. You have a great hope, so you can act with great boldness.

It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Grace and love,
Kim Matthews