The same Jesus who said to "love one another" (John 13:34) explained the outcome he had in mind: "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (John 15:11 ESV).

Because of God's grace toward us, each of us always has the very best reason to bring grace into each of our encounters with another person. Each meeting is an opportunity to bless and to be blessed, to teach and to learn, to understand better and to be understood better.

We say much of preaching, much less of listening. Yet there can be genuine love in simply asking cordially how someone else is doing and then listening attentively to their response. And joy might be found not only in the simple act of connecting, but in knowing that by listening you have brought something valuable to someone in demonstrating that their thoughts, feelings and experiences are worth hearing about.