Listening to the Holy Spirit:
Understand them. Listen carefully to both reason and emotion. Be slow to speak, for the mind gives out a fool’s advice where understanding is shallow. Calm the voice within, and hear them. Wisdom dominates the discussion in a room of carefully listening advisers. Seek My voice also, that you would be guided in your thoughts and speech. Together thoughtfulness and prayer yield the way. Speak then, and there will be favor on your words, blessed in prudence and Godly grace.
Proverbs 1:5 (ESV) – Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
James 1:19 (ESV) – My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
Proverbs 18:13 (ESV) – If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.
Taking It to Work:
Are you a good listener, or do you think you are a good listener? I have to admit, when I really pay attention to my listening skills, I’m really not very good, but I also don’t think of it as a spiritual issue. I say to myself “I just think a lot”, and sometimes that thinking is going on when others are talking me. I tune in, as many of you do, enough to follow and respond, but very often my thoughts are way ahead, and my true analysis of what they are really saying is minimal. Usually, this happens when I’m busy or preoccupied, and for many of us, that happens often at work.
Now not listening well may not be categorized as a sin, but the Bible does have a few things to say about it. So, for us to be good listeners must be important. Out of our three scriptures today, and I’m sure there are others, the one that grabs me the most Proverbs 18:13. It’s one that we likely all should memorize. When we speak without listening, or before listening, the Bible says that it is our folly and our shame. In other words, if we fall into the category of a “half-listener”, we can appear foolish to those around us, even to the point of feeling ashamed.
How many of us like to be cut off mid-sentence by the person we are talking to? Think about the consequences; those that are poor listeners, that are always interrupting folks with what they want to say, they are not the most respected at work. They could be the boss, but because we know they’re not hearing us, and what we say does not seem to matter, they will never be our favorite people or leaders.
Let’s not let that happen to us. The Bible also says that good listeners grow in wisdom and will gain guidance through it. Those are the people that gain respect and honor in the long run. Let’s reflect God’s wisdom in being good listeners at work, at home, and to the Lord, as His Word works in us, today.
