LEARNING HOW TO LISTEN

It may seem like an easy task, listening that is, but for many of us it is something that is difficult.  We talk and talk and talk until we're blue in the face.  We can keep talking until we need oxygen to recover, okay at least it seems like that.  Have you ever known someone who monopolizes conversations?  It's all about them.  Their opinion, their feelings, their accomplishments, their emotions, their experiences, and on and on and on and on.  Then when we finally do get a chance to talk, they interrupt us and stop us.   Either they have a better story or we're not telling it right so they feel it's right to interrupt us and continue telling the story their way.  Sound familiar?

As I think back on people I have known throughout my life, I have come across these people many times.  They never ask me about my life, they just talk just to hear themselves talk.  I think it must make them feel better about themselves or something.  It's frustrating, isn't it?  I don't know maybe these people don't even realize they're doing it?  Or how about the people who tell the same old story time after time, after time?  Oh I know how about the people who continually tell jokes upon jokes, upon jokes?  

Listen talking is all fine and well.  That's a way to get to know each other but when someone monopolizes the conversations, when someone interrupts because we're not telling the story right or they have a better one, that's just out right rude.  Isn't it?  Or am I being too critical here?  I totally understand that people like talking about themselves.  I totally understand that some people have a deep seeded need to talk.  I get it that some people's stories are amazing, BUT there has to be a time when that person just shuts up and listens.  Right?

Talk Shows!!!  Some of them have become absolutely ridiculous.  Okay I don't watch them that often, like maybe once in a blue moon, but recently I clicked on "The View".  I was blown away! (And that's an understatement!)  The rudeness and the audacity of some of the women on that show is sickening.  They talk over each other, hardly ever do they stop and listen, and God forbid someone have a different point of view.  They bash celebrities, politicians and recently nurses.  Now I'm not trying to get in a confrontation here, I using this show as a very sad example of the way some people talk.  What ever happened to listening?

James 1:19  Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters:  You must all be quick to listen and slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

Okay I really don't mean to sound angry because I'm not.  I just get frustrated and it is an issue God is trying point out to me, maybe about myself in certain circumstances, or maybe He wants me to point it out to you.  Oops!  Sorry I know that hurts, trust me it hurts me too.  We need to learn to listen more than we talk.  We need to shut our mouth, stop voicing our opinions, stop vocalizing our words and listen!  It seems a shame that we have to learn how to listen, but we do.  

Our days are so filled with noise, including our own mouths, that how can we ever hear from God if we're so busy talking?  How can we ever hear the wisdom of Jesus Christ if we're constantly using our mouth?  We have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason.  God created us with 2 ears to hear more than we speak.  We should listen twice as often as we speak.  We were hand crafted by God to listen and hear His voice and His word.  We can't hear a dang thing if we're barking orders or telling our story to anyone who would listen.  

Listen!  Yes listen!!  There are people out there who are hurting and broken.  There are people out there who's circumstances are 100 times worse than yours.  They just need someone to listen.  They may need a safe place to vent.  They may need a voice of wisdom from someone who has a personal relationship with God.  But how can we hear them if our ears are filled with our own words?    We can be the ears of Jesus Christ and we can be a living example of His unfailing love if we could just learn to be still and listen.

To be totally honest here, we can't even hear from God when we're so busy telling everyone about ourselves.  How often have we prayed to hear from God, but never sat still in silence to actually be able to hear from Him?  God needs us to listen for His still, small voice.  The whispers of God come quietly.  He will not yell and scream over our own voices.  To hear the whispers of God, we need to stop talking and just listen.  God has amazing wisdom and insight waiting for us, all we need to do is listen.  

Lord, give me a peace and stillness in which I can draw myself closer to you so I can hear you whispers.  Give me your ears to hear the cry of the lost and broken and help me keep a tight reign on my mouth, in Jesus name I pray, amen