The Grace Of
Listening
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become
angry,
for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
James 1:19-20 NIV
Be a better listener! Now there's a New Year's resolution we could all
give heed to. James says that every believer is responsible to be a good
listener--that would include those of us who are too shy to enjoy approaching
relative strangers for conversation, those of us who rarely stop talking long
enough to listen to anyone, those of us too wrapped up in ourselves to care
about the needs inside those around us, and those of us too consumed by anger to
want anything but to be heard.
My listening style is a barometer of my concern for others--thus it directly
reflects my obedience to the command to love my neighbors. A poor listener may
quickly get bored when others are talking, may be defensive and angry, or
critical and sarcastic (eye-rolls). He or she minimizes the other person's
problems & feelings with jokes, scorn, or quick advice ("Well why don't you just
..."). The one without the grace of listening must always insert her opinion
about the subject at hand, and she is always working on what
she's going to say as soon as
that other person finally shuts up.
We need an example to follow. Observe in the gospels how Jesus listens to the
woman at the well, to Nicodemus, to the man possessed by a legion of demons, and
to the woman caught in adultery. Notice that this greatest of listeners is slow
to speak--even though he knows all about their situations to start with! He
cares about the real needs of those in front of him and asks open-ended
questions designed to draw them out. He's rarely in a hurry to rush off to
someone or something "more important." And he never uses what people reveal
about themselves to hurt them so it's always safe to talk to him.
Now we know what a good listener looks like, but we still need spiritual
power to change our self-centered ways. That can only be supplied to us by the
grace of God through the Holy Spirit. And it will be if we desire the gift
enough to keep on asking him for it ( Matthew 7:7).
Listening is a way of serving, for many around us are hungry for someone to
take a genuine interest in them. And as the Father supplies us with ears to
hear the hearts of others through their words, we shall find that we have
learned to hear the voice of the Spirit as well. And we shall be able to respond
with the young prophet Samuel, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."
Pastor Charlie Scott
c. 2006
