Data collection challenges the counselors to slow down and really listen before jumping to conclusions. Like Eli misreading Hannah's prayer as drunkenness (1 Samuel 1) or Job's friends misjudging his suffering, Rushing to diagnosis too many times treating symptoms, not roots. The seven data categories (physical, resources, emotions, actions, concepts, historical, homework) is a reminder that counseling isn't just spiritual exhaustion or medication can look like depression, and missing heart idols means rearranging deck chairs while the soul burns. Good questions are thoughtful, gracious, open-ended asking "What were you feeling?" not "Why did you do that?" (which sounds accusing). Watching halo data body language, tone, tears behind "I'm fine" tells the real story words won't. Proverbs 18:13 nails it: "Answering before listening is foolish and shameful." Counselors must be a patient listener who gathers truth before speaking it, pursuing hearts not just fixing behaviors.