A Theology of Listening

I wrote this essay for our denominational magazine about a year ago. It was recently published in their December 2020 issue. In these divided times and at the close of a tumultuous election month, it seems appropriate to think about the power of listening, something I've learned more about by raising our son Kaleb and by being welcomed into the disability community as his mom.

"Some of us are better at listening than others. My youngest child, who has Down syndrome, often finds himself in the position of listener. He needs extra help learning new skills, so he listens for guidance. It takes him more time to process language, so he listens to understand. It takes him longer to formulate speech, and sometimes conversations move on before he can add his thoughts. His family, teachers, friends, and classmates have to slow down in order to really know what he thinks. They have to listen.

The Privilege of Being Heard

Until I began navigating the challenges of communication with my son, I never thought of the ability to be heard as a privilege, a luxury available to some but not others. As a quiet child, I often chose not to speak, because it made me uncomfortable; I didn’t enjoy the attention. Being an introvert made me a careful observer of people. I learned a lot by listening—about others’ differences and beliefs, about their strengths and challenges. But I’ve rarely been forced into that listening position...."

To finish reading the article, follow this link:  "A Theology of Listening"