Taking Time To Listen

Taking Time to Listen

In their book The Jersey Effect, Hunter Smith and Darrin Gray unpack the blessings and challenges that go along with being a professional athlete. Smith, a ten-year punter for the Indianapolis Colts, talks about not only the impact of head coach Tony Dungy on his life, but Coach Dungy’s interest in all of his life.

You see, Smith is also the lead singer of the Hunter Smith Band. He says to Coach Dungy in a letter, republished in his book, “Coaches are screaming. Players are working. An NFL practice is happening, and the head coach is interested in my dinky music career. That meant a lot to me, and it still does. No other coach I’ve been around has ever been that interested in anything in my life outside of how I could help the team win more games.”

Dungy was simply modeling the love and leadership of our Lord, who still listens to us and for us today. First John 5:13-15 declares, “I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.”

It is profound to know that our Lord loves to listen to us and is available for every part of our lives as he leads us. As we lead others, may we, too, be found listening to them, learning about them, and longing for their best! Take the time to listen, and you will double your impact.

We are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.

1 John 5:14