Listening Skills

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. (Psalm 51:15)

David, now clean and forgiven, seeks to be used by God. He desires to let others know what the Lord has done. He anticipates with joy the next words that he will say. He doesn't even want to speak unless the Lord opens his mouth! Imagine if that were you or I . . . Imagine if we only spoke, or acted, when God said to do so. Do you realize how much more effective we would be for the Kingdom? Think about all the useless and even sinful things we have said or done that could have been avoided. What if we would have only waited . . . Listen to the words of Jesus' brother James. He should have known a bit about when and how to do things: "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath . . ." (James 1:19) I have come to realize in life that listening intently to others leads to a much better conversation. I must fight back the urge to respond to the first things I hear. I have to squash my desire to be heard and replace it with a desire to understand . . . the other person and the situation. I have chewed upon my own feet much too many times in life! Listening intently, not only to others' words but their hearts as well, leads to a better understanding of the situation and also less angry or mistaken reactions. Many times that's all that is needed; a listening ear! Like I have heard said, we need to share Christ with others . . . and then speak if we have to speak! www.tsninthebeginning.blogspot.com