Daily Devotion: Are You Listening?

Bible Reading: James 1:1-22

Key Verse: Verse 19 - “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”

Key Words: swift to hear

Would it surprise you to know that the National Standardized Achievement Test (SAT) in our schools reveal that our children finish very poorly in their listening skills?

The Rand Corporation says that only 2% of everything you say is actually heard. We are very poor listeners. Maybe that is the reason we are told so often by God to hear. Why, five hundred twelve times in God’s Word we are told to “hear.” We do need to sharpen our listening skills.

President Roosevelt (FDR) once grew tired of the smiling superficiality that accompanied many White House receptions. One particular evening he decided to see whether or not anyone actually paid attention to what he said. As he shook hands with each guest filing through the line, he would smile really big and say, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.”

No one even noticed. They just gave the usual protocol, “How lovely,” or “Keep up the good work.”

One foreign diplomat was listening and added humor to the night by adding, “I’m sure she had it coming to her.”

A pastor I know asked those who attended the Sunday evening service to write down his three major points from his morning sermon. Of the two hundred in attendance that night who were present in the morning service, only eight people could write down all three points. We are poor listeners. Maybe that is why James said, “Let every man be swift to hear.”

What to do:
✞ Pray that God will help you to become a good listener.

✞ Work on your listening skills.

✞ Require your children to listen by asking them to repeat what you said or by asking them to review the pastor’s message with you.

✞ God gave us one tongue and two ears. Listen twice as much as you talk.

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