Listening to Hear not Speak
L istening can be one of the most difficult tasks anyone has. It takes a very special person to listen, to truly listen, to someone. Often we find our listening more of a means of deciding what we are going to say, how we will respond, if we must defend, etc... Listening is indeed a discipline that I know I have had to perfect over the years. Often I found myself listening to someone but really I was already thinking about what I was going to say when they were finished. When this is our attitude of listening much is missed in the conversation and even misinterpreted due to a desire to respond instead of understand. The Bible calls us to be hearers, that is to be listeners longing to hear. J ames 1:19 says "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry..." What a challenge this presents to us in todays modern world where the dilemma is that everyone is easily offended. When someone begins to talk it