How’s your hearing? Not just your hearing, how’s your listening? The Bible tells us that in a multitude of counselors, you’ll find wisdom. But the thing about counsel is, it requires you not to listen.

I want to challenge you today to be a listener. In fact, we ought to listen more than we speak.

I think about that sometimes as we read the Word of God and how distracted we can get even while reading the Word of God. God wants to speak to us and we’re supposed to listen as we read His Word, as He tries to speak to us, but the phone rings, or the child needs something, or the schedule pops up and we’ve got to run, and we don’t listen.

I want to challenge you to be a listener. Listen to more seasoned Christians. Listen to those who are close to you. Sometimes it might be good even to listen to those who are critics, if the criticism comes from the right source, but learn to listen.

It seems like in this day and hour, everybody wants a platform to speak. They want to be heard. In fact, they demand it. I want my voice heard. My voice ought to have equal hearing than everybody else’s voice. I ought to be able to say something. Maybe that ought to be the case in some situations, but I think you and I would grow, grow in grace and grow in wisdom if we would learn to listen.

I don’t mean just casually, but intently. Some of the greatest memories I have are those memories of sitting at the feet of older preachers who are now in heaven, family members who are up in years, and sitting there and just listening to them talk. Learn to ask questions, but when you ask the question, then be quiet and let the person give you the answer.

Let me challenge you, if you’re a young person especially, a young preacher as well, learn to be a listener. Maybe don’t speak. When you’re sitting at the table with more seasoned believers, just listen. When you’re in the office with a seasoned man of God, just listen. When you get around your grandparents and your parents and those who’ve lived life and are further down the road, you don’t need to always insert your opinion. Just listen and glean and let God use that life experience to help mold and shape your life.

I hope this has been a help in your Christian life today.

Share this post