Eight Reasons to Improve Your Listening Skills
James 1:19-20 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; [20] for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Proverbs 18:13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.
Proverbs 29:11 A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back.
Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.
Eight Powerful Reasons to Improve Your Listening Skills
1. Listen to Diffuse Anger. Prov. 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath…” Proverbs 29:11 — “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”
2. Listen to Love. Phil. 2:3-5 “…love is patient, kind…”
3. Listen to Understand and Show Honor. 1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
4. Listen to Learn. (Prov. 19:27) “Cease to hear instruction my son and you will stray from the words of knowledge.” (Prov. 2:1-4)
5. Listen to Guide and Teach and Protect. (Prov. 18:2) “A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.”
6. Listen to Help and to Heal. Proverbs 20:5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out.
7. Listen to Reconcile and Resolve Conflict. (Matthew 18:15-17) “If he does not listen…” (Phil. 2:4) not just his own interests, but the interests of others.
8. Listen to Communicate the Gospel with Effectively.
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Seek to understand before you seek to be understood.
