Thoughts on the topic of listening from the book of wisdom.
Listening. Am I really listening?
My workplace is a stress filled environment, with deadlines, miscommunications, unrealized expectations and frequent disappointments. One of those irritants, that is miscommunications between my self and my co-workers, is one that I have some control over.
Let me explain a day in my life when this became apparent to me.
I arrive at work before anyone in the office and take 15 minutes walking the parking garage, praying and doing my memory work. One morning, my assigned verses included Proverbs 28:13.
18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
For some reason I dwelt on this verse a bit longer than the others and asked for help with this in my life.
You see, with deadlines always before me, my mind tends to race, and I do not listen to those I work with. I realized that I answer matters before I hear them, and it has created problems for my projects and those associated with my projects.
Definitely a shame on me.
Since that morning, I have sought to “slow down” to gain production, and though it sounds contradictory, it has produced good results.
Less confusion in my mind, and the minds of my workers, increased team building, since I consider others input, deadlines are still hit, and my stress level has dropped.
Don’t hear me say I have no stress. We have to have stress in our lives! It is the unnecessary stress that we should seek to avoid!
23:12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
I had this verse included in our blog prior to my application of the verse above to my life. Without this truth I would not have found success in the counsel of the verse above.
How often do I read, study or memorize the Word and come away from it unchanged?
28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
This verse is somewhat of the other side of the coin for the previous verse above. When we come to a passage and “turn our ear away”, it is the opposite of applying my heart unto the instruction.
Often when I let the Word simply go in and go out, I consider the effect to be neutral. This verse simply corrects that error.
Even my prayer shall be an abomination. The NLT translates it…
God detests the prayers
of a person who ignores the law.
A disturbing thought, but it is not a rare teaching of the Word.
Consider 1 Peter, where he speaks to husbands and our relationships with our wives.
1 Peter 3:7
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Consider listening.
As my momma used to say, God gave you two ears and one mouth!
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