My Top Five Reasons for Being Someone Who Listens

The other day when my grandsons were at my house they were watching a children's show and the topic of not being listened to came up (it was the "title" of the episode). I asked my oldest grandson if he felt that way sometimes and he said; "Yes. Well, except for you, grandma, because you always listen to us." 

As adults it is far too easy to be busy with the things we are doing or with our tech and just not listen to children. Children do tend to talk a lot and it is not always "earth-shattering" things they have to say; but when it comes to my grandsons, I feel like if it is important to them and they want to tell me, I want to hear it! I'm so glad Josiah has noticed this!

So, as I thought about this conversation, I thought it applied to Children's Ministry as well and came up with five reasons we need to be people who listen to children, families and volunteers and today I'm sharing them with you. They are . . . 

1. Because God loves them and always listens to them - whether what they have to say is earth-shattering or not and we should want the children, families and volunteers in our ministry to believe us when we tell them these things! If they have been able to see and experience us listening to them, they are better able to understand when we tell them God always loves and listens to them!
2. Because we love the children, families and volunteers in our ministries! Why wouldn't we listen to something someone we love has to say to us? 
3. Because if it is important to them, it is important to us! And, by listening we know how to pray for them.
4. Because we are honored when they want to tell us something . . . they could choose not to tell us the things which matter to them, but they do! Of course we'll listen!
5. Because we want them to tell us when what they have to say is "earth-shattering" or very important. If we have listened to them - even when what they have had to say was not particularly "important", when they have something important to say, they are more likely to tell us.

There are more reasons, but these are five reasons at the top of my list of why we need to be people who listen to the children, families and volunteers in our ministries! Why do you listen?