HEARING OR LISTENING........Saturday

1/30/16

"My dear brothers, 

take note of this:

 Everyone should be 

quick to listen,

 slow to speak and 

slow to become angry."

James 1:19

        I'd like to look at one word in this Bible passage -- listen.  In fact, I'd like to look at it in depth as I think there is a difference between hearing and listening.  James said we should "listen."

     

With every day conversation we all "hear" what other people are saying to us.  Some people have the bad habit of multi-tasking -- they don't stop what they're doing when someone comes in to talk with them.  They may hear what the person is saying, but are they really listening?

     We need to learn to really listen to what is being said.  We need to not only hear the words but we need to look at the meaning they have for the person saying them.  We need to take note of body language, and facial expressions. We need to give them our attention.  We need to listen to the person and not first hear our own biases.

    
    
 I think if we really practiced what this passage says, we would all have better relationships and get much farther with our communication to each other in every aspect of our lives.  So don't just hear what someone says to you -- learn to listen.

Written by

Carol Steficek.

Here is a video of a baby listening to his mom sing. He is concentrating 

on her words, and she has his entire attention. He is so touched by

her song that he becomes emotional.