“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry . . .” –James 1:19
Growing up in an evangelical background, it seems that I was always taught that it was my duty not only to verbally witness to others, but also to let others know where I stood on every moral issue known to man. I don’t know if your experience has been the same or not, but we sure do put an awfully large emphasis on the words we say.
There is no denying that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is good news. It should be shared. However, there is another side of the Christian life that tells us we need to be cautious with our words, and along with that, we must also be intentional about listening.
This steps on my toes more than just a bit. I’m always the one who loves to be at the center of the conversation. Part of that is my personality. Part of that is I often believe that what I have to say is more important than what others have to say. That’s the tough part. If God is the all-knowing creator of the universe (which I believe he is), and yet he still takes the time to listen to our ramblings when we pray to him, how much more should we be willing to listen to others?
How much of your life is devoted to listening? How much do you listen to your spouse? How about people that have different political views from you or who wear you out with their words? The simple truth is that listening does not mean that we agree with someone, it simply means that we love them.
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2 comments:
I don't listen nearly close enough (except to Dustin's sermons). That said, I have a great example, a friend (besides Jesus), who is so deliberate about it. He asks questions, maintains great eye contact and is genuinely interested in what the other person is saying. His face will pop into my head sometimes if I find myself babbling as a gentle reminder to shut up.
j>rob, you're one of the best listeners I know (not sure about the sermon part; I'm generally busy then, but in general!). I would say there are only a few good listeners like the friend you mentioned. We could all learn greatly from them . . . but we're too busy talking rather than listening to their wisdom!
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