Can You Hear Me Now?

Most people believe they are better listeners than they really are.  Often friends are just waiting for you to take a breath so they can share their own words which are much more important. John Wayne put it this way, “People are short on ears and long on mouth.”

Proverbs 1:5 says, “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.”  This verse tells us that a smart person will be a listening to other smart people to improve themselves. 

It is possible to hear someone talk but not listen. One of the primary reasons given for failed relationships is the lack of listening.  Two men were talking one day in front of the grocery store.  One of them said, “My wife talks to herself a lot.”  His friend answered, “Mine does too, but she doesn’t know it.  She thinks I’m listening.”

Don’t be too proud to listen to people who want to help you be a better person.  This is wisdom, and a sensible person will gladly hear wisdom.  Proverbs 23:9 says, “Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.” 

Listening is a key ingredient of church attendance.  A wise person would stop sneaking peeks at their social media pages or checking sports scores and pay attention to the speaker.  Unfortunately, church goers are often more excited about the benediction than the opening prayer.  What did your pastor share last Sunday?

Don’t be like the people in Zechariah 7:11: “But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.”  Jesus said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” How about we all work on our listening skills this week.



 
 
 

---