Listening Over Speaking

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**This devotional was written by my husband, Ronnie Knight. I post it with his permission. “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19) It has been said that we have two ears and one mouth and so we should listen twice as much as we speak. While this may not be the exact sentiment of this text, it does have some merit. James is reminding us that we should weigh every word before we manipulate the tongue to produce them because what we say is irreversible. For many of us our tendency is to be self absorbed so much so that we rarely really listen others without interruption. We generally care more about what we have to say than what anyone else has to say. James is reminding us that if we would take the time to intentionally put aside our own agenda long enough to genuinely listen to our fellow human being and take the time to really process what they are saying that we could alleviate a multitude of misunderstanding and dispute. If we would care enough about others to truly hear their heart we could know how to accurately respond in ways that are genuine and meaningful. This is fundamental to developing authentic relationships. This is fundamental to truly understanding others. It starts with us intentionally humbling ourselves to the point that we truly and intentionally listen before we ever decide to formulate a response. So, be reminded today “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” https://ronniejknightjr.wordpress.com/2018/04/20/journey-through-james-day-3/