2:250 – Just Listen

#faithbites #faithjourney listen

Nothing profound in this #faithbite. No dramatic realizations or crazy experiences. Just the need to listen to each other. People speak on words, action, inaction, and emotion. Just listen.

Today, during a couple of political debates, I had nothing to add. I was glad for the respectful tone, but didn’t have the facts or the knowledge to challenge. I just listened and said thank you.

If we all just listened rather than trying to solve a problem or being defensive, we would fine more peace and more common ground. We won’t always agree but listening makes the relationships stronger.

Scripture

• A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. – Proverbs 18:2
• Making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; – Proverbs 2:2
• He who has ears to hear, let him hear. – Matthew 11:15

Reflection

God has given us free will, a voice to speak, a mind to think, and ears to hear. If we used our ears more we would find ourselves in fewer foolish places and making fewer mistakes.

We have great gifts to hear. Let us listen, contemplate, and then respond if necessary. The hardest part is keeping quiet when you want to challenge someone else’s believes. Sometimes you need to speak not for the person lsteninf, but for others listening along, while in some cases, being silent will mae more progress than challenging thier beliefs.
I need to work on being more silent and more observant rather than being defensive and trying to prove my point. God is a great guide for when to speak and when to be quiet.

Challenge

Think before you speak. Will your words help the situation or make it worse? Think about the outcome and what you are trying to achieve.

Prayer

Lord help us to listen more and argue less. Let us be kind with our words and build relationships. Remind us that we dont need to win and argument to following your footsteps. Help us in this and all our challenges. In your name, Amen.