Listen

Listening is a skill.  Or is it?  Maybe we need to look at it a little deeper than that.  It is a skill that requires practice; however, I believe it also requires awareness.  I am reminded of the well-known quote, “God gave us two ears and one mouth, so we ought to listen twice as much as we speak.”  What do we need more than practice?  Humility.  Putting others first.  I’m the first to admit my tendency to want to speak, get in my “funny” line, or share with others what is going on in my life.  The need to feel a little important is inside all of us.  But I got a “crash course” during 35 years of experience in sales and marketing for our small business.  It required focusing on my listening skills and putting my customers first.  To be totally present, without an agenda, to each of them and listening to their needs showed that I cared.  It really can humble a person.  Of course, then I flip a switch and ask myself, with all that knowledge, how well do I listen in my prayer life?  How well do you listen when spending time with Jesus?  Are we really listening during our silence or are we too busy presenting all our needs, telling our stories, or just being too distracted to focus?  We need to practice our listening skills by sitting quietly more frequently.  That’s it!  I suddenly realized that maybe I’m letting fear get in my way.  I’m so afraid that I’m either missing His message or worried He’s just not available.  When listening to others needs and stories, aren’t you and I already formulating our response or reaction?  How can we then clear out our own agendas and humble ourselves during the most important quiet time with our Lord?  The answer:  By just letting it all go … our day …. our needs … our requests … ourselves!  So, it just does take some practice to use our two ears much more than our desire to speak.  Humble yourself in the sight of our Lord!  We’ll truly learn what it means to just follow his lead.  Jesus, thank you for the gift of two ears and only one mouth.  Help me each day to use them in that proportion for your good.”  Amen

“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