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HELEN SANDERS
3-29-2022
THE ART OF LISTENING
I have met many people in my years of life, some very educated, some poorly educated, and some that think they are educated. One thing they all have in common is that they want to be listened to.
Listening is one of the greatest gifts that you can give another person besides love. So often people can’t wait to speak when they are in a conversation that they don’t really hear what someone else is saying. I think they heard, but they truly weren’t listening. They wanted to do the speaking, not the listening.
Several of Jesus’ followers were quick with words. Peter was one of them. He seemed to always have something to say but didn’t always listen. That changed after he was filled with the Holy Spirit. James and John were called the sons of thunder. I would think this means they were always talking and probably were adept at arguing and perhaps even got into scraps. Their mother wanted them to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand in the kingdom. They even asked for it. They missed the listening part of Jesus’ sermon when he talked about being a servant.
In James 1:19, it says, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” Do you see the hearing part? It says swift to hear. In other words, we should do more listening than talking. I certainly have had to deal with this issue, and I am sure many that are reading this have too.
When we concentrate on self instead of others this ultimately will become a problem. It is not all about us. If you recall Satan had a problem with the “I.” “I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will set also upon the mount of the congregation; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most high.” (Isaiah 14:13-14.) He only thought of himself, and it brought pride which caused him to lose his place in heaven as the cherub that covered God’s throne.
To each of the churches in the book of Revelation Jesus said, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Listening ears keep us out of “foot and mouth disease.” How do you get that disease? You open your mouth and put your foot into it. Now that may be a little humorous, but it is the truth
In the season we are in we must listen more than ever. I honestly believe God wants to speak to us, but we must get quiet enough to hear him. Turn off the T.V., the internet, the social media, and anything else that is a distraction and determine to listen more than ever. I can guarantee that it will change your life.
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