If You Were Given Two Good Ears. Use Them.

9/24/2018

Good Morning,

Door County Bourbon Pecan Pie Coffee just splashed into my mug and it is time to write on this beautiful Monday.

Proverbs 18:2 New King James Version (NKJV)

² A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his own heart.

For those of us who are healthy enough to use our ears to listen, it would be a good idea to do so. Most arguments become perpetual because the parties involved don't take time to listen to each other and then come to a mutual understanding. You can't understand someone if you don't listen to them. The word heart in our verse  today if we paraphrase it could also read opinion. You possibly might have heard the expression "opinions are like butts., everyone has one." 

Friends we often like to share our opinion to someone before we know all the facts. We often come to the wrong conclusion prematurely when we don't take time to listen. Here's a little trick to test if you are listening. Once the other person finishes with whatever it is they are saying ask them this. "Let me see if I have this correct" and then repeat to them what they said. They might correct you and say "that is not what I said". Then you know you missed something and now have the chance to get it right.  Now if they say let me rephrase that statement it means they heard what they said when you repeated it to them and now when they heard it from you they realize it needs correcting. You just saved yourself and them a lot of time.

Most of all, there comes a time when people just want someone to listen. In these instances listen closely and then offer to pray with them, or hug them. Sometimes people just need to vent, mourn, or whine a little. Be a good friend and listen without expressing an opinion.

What kind of listener are you?

Marty