My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry – James 1:19 (NIV)
Have you ever been in a situation where you have a discussion with someone and the person just keeps on talking and talking without a pause to listen? How did that feel?
How about this, what if God is always speaking and never listening? How would you feel?
It isn’t a bad thing to speak or talk but it goes simultaneously with listening. God hears us and He responds to us. Our God is a listener, the greatest One there is.
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” 1 John 5:14-15
This scripture makes it clear that God listens and hears when we pray. We do not serve a Father who only speaks, we have a Father who listens to us.
Since we know God is a great listener, it is only right as His children to imitate Him (Ephesians 5:1) and start developing the habit of listening more than we speak.
Why is Listening so Important?
To listen means to give one’s attention to something or someone. Listening is key to all effective communication. Without the ability to listen effectively, messages are easily misunderstood which means understanding comes when you desire to listen to God and to others. Anyone who does not listen, can not understand and the Bible warns against having such a personality.
“Fools have no interest in understanding, they only want to air their own opinions”. Proverbs 18:2 NLT
“Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish”. Proverbs 18:13 NLT
The quality of your communication is not just about what you know, it is also about how well you listen. When you listen you understand better, when you listen you are able to relate with others better.
So let’s be slow to speak and be quick to listen. Most especially, listen to God, do not only talk to Him, but also stay still and wait to hear Him.
PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the insight from your word today. Please give me the grace, humility, gentleness and patience to be like you in all manner of conversation. Help me to be quick to listen and slow to speak in Jesus name. Amen.