Hearing God’s Voice Through Others

An unexpected lesson I have learned in my experience thus far is the value of small talk. My mind can very easily be occupied by what I need to get done, especially at a service site where there are so many moving pieces and so much to do before the end of each day. This year has taught me that making the time to chat for the sake of chatting is sometimes more valuable than being “productive.”

There is one particular man who comes to the soup kitchen that loves to sit and chat with me for a while. I’ve come to realize that maybe those few moments of small talk are just as valuable as the soup and sandwiches he comes to get. Getting to hear him talk about his daily joys and sorrows is an opportunity for me to provide a listening ear and make him feel heard.

It’s not just with those I serve at the window that I have this opportunity, it’s also with the volunteers at the soup kitchen that I serve alongside. So many of our volunteers have wonderful advice and wisdom to share with me. I can only hope that I can grow as selfless and kind as they are.

Getting to pause for a moment to talk with someone, whether it means the world or nothing at all to them, is an opportunity where I can let God speak to me through that person. In return, there have been countless moments when that person has said to me exactly what I needed to hear to keep me motivated. As these last few months of FrancisCorps come to an end, I pray that I can continue to hear the sweet words of Jesus through those I encounter.

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