You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger -James 1:19
Have you ever had the opportunity to really listen to a conversation between two people who really love to talk? It's almost humorous to watch them pretending to listen patiently while they are only waiting for their chance to jump in with their own story. They both talk, but neither of them hear... and all those words do nothing but float out to space.
We are all sometimes a part of that kind of "conversation." We are so focused on what we want to say that we don't even hear the person we are conversing with. Lots of words, but no communication.
Listening, like anything worthwhile, takes practice. We need to take control of our egos. We must be fully in the moment and really aware of those with whom we are sharing words. It's about being humble enough to let the other person have the stage. And it's about being loving enough to really care about what the other person has to say.
When we really learn to listen, we discover the art of bonding with other human beings. We find that we have more in common than we have differences... no matter who we are listening to. And we make relationships. And that's really what life is all about.
Father,
You gave us two ears and only one mouth so that we would be quick to listen and slow to speak. Help us to practice. Amen.
Joys: A warm home on a cold night; sunshine finally breaking through, even if it is cold sunshine; the weekend
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