Why Did Jesus Listen?

Partner Spotlight: Hopehill

By Sam Nakai
CEO, Hopehill: Living in Community

Jesus spent a surprising amount of time listening to people. We often assume He listened because others needed to be heard. After all, He had all the answers. People came to Him because they needed something from Him. But lately I have found myself wondering about something we may rarely think about. 

 What did it feel like for Jesus to listen? 

When we read the Gospels, we notice how deliberately Jesus listened to people. In Luke 24, on the road to Emmaus, He asks two disciples what they are discussing and then walks with them as they speak about their disappointment. In John 4, He sits with the Samaritan woman at the well and allows her to speak about her life and her questions. In both moments, Jesus makes space to hear people. 

I wonder whether giving time to people and listening to them was itself a blessing for Jesus. Did He feel joy hearing someone talk about their day? Did He feel gratitude when someone opened their heart in honest conversation? Did He notice the quiet beauty of ordinary lives unfolding in front of Him? 

 Scripture does not answer these questions directly. Perhaps that silence is intentional. It invites us to discover for ourselves the quiet blessing that can be found in listening. 

 In the Kingdom of God, the way blessing flows can sometimes surprise us. Often it is exactly what we would expect. The strong help the weak. The teacher instructs the student. The one with resources gives to the one in need. But Jesus also shows us that the flow of blessing does not move in only one direction. Sometimes the one who appears to receive becomes the one who gives. 

 The Kingdom of God often turns our assumptions upside down. 

 Perhaps listening is another expression of the upside-down Kingdom Jesus so often described. We often think that when we listen to someone who is lonely, elderly, struggling, or overlooked, we are the ones offering something to them. But many times, the opposite happens. 

 The listener receives the greater blessing. 

 I have been thinking about this a lot during my first few months at Hopehill, CBWC’s ministry that provides affordable housing for seniors in Vancouver. One of the quiet privileges of these early months has been sitting with residents and simply listening to their stories. 

If you spend time with seniors, stories come easily. Memories from childhood. Stories from work. The names of people they loved. Moments that shaped their lives. Sometimes the stories wander. Sometimes they repeat. Sometimes they repeat every time you talk with them. But behind every story is a life that has been lived. And something unexpected happens when you take the time to listen. 

 The person speaking may feel heard. That is certainly meaningful. But very often, the deeper gift is given to the listener. 

 True listening has a way of lifting our hearts. It pulls us away from ourselves. It gently guides us toward humility, grace, and a quiet recognition of the value of the soul sitting across from us. It reminds us who they are before God.  

 The listener receives. 

 If life ever begins to feel rushed or heavy, I would offer a simple invitation. Come spend an afternoon at Hopehill. This is a real invitation, not simply the closing line of an article. It is a genuine invitation to come and discover the heart of listening. 

 Our residents are usually easy to spot. Some are out for a walk. Some are sitting in the lobby. Some are gathered outside for a smoke and a conversation. Sit down. Ask a question. Listen to a story. 

 You may arrive thinking you are doing something kind for someone else. But you will likely leave realizing that you were the one who received something far greater. 

 And perhaps, in moments like these, we begin to appreciate a little more why Jesus so often stopped and listened to people. 

 Hopehill Living in Community Society is a ministry of the CBWC providing 350 affordable units to live in Vancouver for seniors, many of whom live on less than $2000 per month.  

 We are currently $170,000 away from completing a $520,000 matching gift campaign with the Jim Pattison Foundation before May 31, 2026. These gifts help create places where seniors are known, heard, and cared for in community. 

 If, as you read this reflection, you sense God prompting you to support this work, we would consider it a privilege to steward your gift. Please click on this link for more information: https://hopehill.ca/donate/