Bright Lights, Big CitySample

Have you ever spoken up only to feel like no one was listening? Maybe it was in your Small Group, at the dinner table with your family, or in a hard conversation with a friend. If you’ve been there, you know how awful that feels. When you’re trying to speak, but no one seems to be listening, it leaves you feeling dismissed, ignored, and unimportant. While you can’t always change the fact that some may not be interested in what you’re saying, you can change how you respond to and listen to others. When you’re in the position to listen, support, and care for someone else, do it! Not just because you don’t want to make them feel the way you’ve felt when it’s happened to you, but because you know that this is part of what it means to follow Jesus, too! As Christians, it’s our job to put ourselves aside for the sake of others at times. That’s part of shining the light of Jesus into the world, and it’s something we can do simply in the way we support and show up for the people around us.

Who in your life can you take time to listen to this week? Talk to your Small Group Leader about how you can work on being a good listener and support that person so you can shine the light toward them!