Non-verbal communication

I have taught many leadership classes on communication. Typically, I spend some time on the importance of non-verbal communication. Body language, certain gestures, eye contact, etc. It's interesting when you are surrounded by people from a different culture, speaking a different language. While here in Russia I enjoy watching Russians communicate. It's a great learning experience. But, there's a non-verbal communication that is much more striking than body language. It is the language of the heart. I have experienced a communication between the hearts of the brothers and sisters around me. Late last night I was in a classroom alone working on my laptop when a pastor named Andrew came in and visited with me. He speaks very little English - I speak very little Russian (you can only say "thank you, my name is Paul" so many times before it gets old.) Yet, we communicated. Rather, the Spirit of God communicated between our hearts. He introduced me to his sons. I showed him pictures on my laptop of Nick and Lynn. He pointed to Mongolia on the map where he spent two years in the army. He didn't say anything about it, but I could tell that it was a very painful and difficult time in his life. He sat down at a piano and played a song. The music was full of emotion, a complex mixture of sadness and hope. He couldn't see the tears in my eyes as the music he played poured into my heart. I played some video from our website and he began to weep as Pastor Phil sang about our Lord. He didn't understand the words, but the Spirit was speaking to his heart. Our worlds so different, yet the Spirit who shapes our hearts is the same. After a few minutes together, he hugged me and said as best he could "glad you're here". He spoke the words, but I had already heard the message in my heart. When I teach classes on communication, the goal is always the same: learn to be a better listener. God is teaching me something about being a better listener. When I listen with my heart, it must be soft to receive. A hard heart is closed to the most meaningful messages that God sends our way. They are rich messages, deep messages, messages that He delivers personally by His Spirit through His diverse and beautiful servants, like Andrew.