Winston Churchill once said, "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."
Have you ever thought about how much time we spend listening? Whether it be in a business meeting, a relationship, or even with God? There are many people today that hear every word... quickly respond... and then have to apologize and repair damage because they didn’t think through the possible consequences of their answer. Active listening is something we have to choose to do...but did you know it something God wants us to do as well? In the book of James, Chapter 1 and verse 19 it says this:
“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 puts it another more direct way...
“Spouting off before listening to the facts
is both shameful and foolish.”
It’s much better to spend your time thinking through an answer than mending a fence or repairing relationship damage. Sometimes you only have one chance to choose the right response in a situation... Be courageous! Choose to think it through first and answer second... you’ll always be glad you did. Remember, two people talking just create noise... one person talking while the other listens creates deeper understanding and connection.
