A listening ear at 20,000 feet

We had been in the air about an hour. Our location was somewhere over the Middle East between Dubai and Muscat on a Kenya Airways aircraft. Sitting next to me was a very eccentric Indian businessman just returning from a month in the Comoros Islands. He began to regale me with tales of strange Comorian people, places, and practices. After some 25 hours of travel I was ready to be off the plane. However, I decided to engage--listening as best as I could. As we approached Muscat- his final destination and my last layover before Nairobi, he elbowed me in the side.

With a hushed voice he said: "You know I thought it was all over today." My weary eyes just looked at him hoping that he would elaborate without having to expend the energy necessary to ask him what he meant. He pointed to the other passengers around us- most of whom were dressed in full Islamic garb. "They all got up out of their seats at the same time and started filling the aisle." I had boarded this particular aircraft in Dubai just an hour earlier. The businessman, however, had been on this same aircraft for five straight hours.

"What do you mean?" I asked with heightened interest. "The other passengers all got out of their seats and started chanting in Arabic." I started to chuckle anticipating what he was about to say. "I thought it was a terrorist attack, but then I realized that they were kneeling down in the aisle to pray." From what he said the other passengers had piled up on top of each other as they turned towards Mecca in the middle of the flight to pray. Finally, the flight steward had to ask them to move to the back of the plane so that in-flight services could resume. He started laughing now that he had voiced his concern.

We started to talk about religion. He had been raised in a Catholic school in India as a boy, but was an ardent Hindu currently living in the capital of Oman. He shared his fears and struggles living there. His family all lived in India while he exported scrap-metal from the Comoros to the Middle East. Apparently, he had struck it rich in the recycling business. Finally, he confessed that he was weary from his travels and ready to be home-- even though it really wasn't home. We landed: he bounded off to his own bed as I continued on the flight to Nairobi an additional 4 hours.

As we parted company, two Omanis sat down next to me. Both spoke fluent Zanzibari Swahili. For the next 3 hours we began to talk about life, fears, challenges, current world events, etc.. He and his brother, a government official, were traveling to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania for some much needed R&R. They would then go visit distant relatives in Rwanda. Their stories were fascinating. Their experiences touching. We exchanged contact information and I promised to pray for him.

I'm reminded that despite linguistic, cultural, religious, and geographical boundaries we are all human. We all face the same challenges, the same uncertainties, the same fears, the same struggles, and the same need for a listening ear.

I'm amazed at the depth these 3 men shared with me on that flight as I listened. People sometimes ask me: what's the key to ministry? My current favorite answer is simple: listening.

I think Jesus was a listener. Sure he was a great teacher, a great communicator, and anointed orator, but I think what made him so remarkable was His capacity to listen-- both to the Father and to the people around Him. He heard heaven. He heard human hearts. The real beauty of Christ's life and legacy is His capacity of putting the two together. Heaven colliding with humanity. That's where the Kingdom exploded in people's lives.

Real listening is difficult though. Primarily because it makes others the center of attention. We struggle with that especially living in a me centered world. However, it is my observation that ministry follows listening. May our ears be open to hear.