Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,
and so the innocent escape trouble.
Summary: Listening is a life skill that has many benefits. Listening well opens the door to understanding the nature of the person who is talking. Are they an “evildoer?” Their words will reveal who they are. Knowing who someone is means we can avoid the trouble they are prone to cause.
Evildoers come in all sizes and shapes. They can take any form and look like a doctor or a nurse, a TV news anchor or a movie star, a president or a pauper. Personally, I prefer to trust people. If they respect and honor my trust, they get to keep it. If they betray my trust, it is broken forever. New trust can be earned, but the trust given freely only works once.
Because I cannot see into a person’s heart as God can, I have to wait and observe their fruit. There are many types of fruit we can observe in people. Paul tells us, “… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5: 22-23). In his letter to the Colossians he writes, “… live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work…” (Colossians 1: 10). This is the opposite of the “fruitless deeds of darkness” he refers to in Ephesians 5: 11.
In his letter to the twelve tribes, James writes strong words about the power of the tongue:
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.” (James 3: 9-12)
Listening to a person talk often reveals what is in their heart. Sometimes it takes a lot of listening, but it is an infallible technique. What Solomon says in today’s passage is absolutely true.
The problem with listening is that it requires self-control. To listen over a long period of time demands patience. Sometimes it requires biting our own tongue. Listening gets derailed when we get caught up in what is being said and want to argue with the person speaking. Of course, there is a time for interrupting (Ecclesiastes 3:7). But in its way, listening is more powerful.
Once a person has revealed who they are, we know how to deal with them. “And so the innocent escape trouble.”
Application: Practice the art of listening carefully to what is said.
Food for Thought: What does being a ‘good listener’ look like?
What does being a ‘good listener’ look like?
This is a subject near and dear to my heart because frankly I am not a good listener. I tend to hear the first part of what someone is saying then start thinking about it and how it affects me before I hear the whole thing. I start asking myself what this person “wants from me.” I find it hard to put myself to the side and focus on what is being said. I have found that I don’t listen until the end and discern what type of conversation is occurring. When I don’t do that I tend to interrupt with some advice or solution, when most times the other person just needs to talk it out.
A good listener is able to put that to the side and hear the words the other person is saying. Focus just on what is actually being said, and respond accordingly, calmly, and with wisdom. Usually a good listener doesn’t need to talk as much as well.
Proverbs 17:27-28 A truly wise person uses few words;
a person with understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
Chris,
Thank you for your honesty. I suspect that a lot of us can relate to your situation. It is hard to put aside our own thoughts and really listen to what a person is saying.
To be fair, there are different situations that we deal with. Sometimes it is easier to focus on listening than others.
Even so, listening while we quiet our own mind is a good skill to have.
Yeah, I relate to Chris. I am not a good enough listener. It is a skill that is important to develop. James 1: 19 – 20. Everyone should be quick to listen. That includes me.
Rich,
Knowing you personally, I would have to say that you give a very good impression of one who listens well! 🙂
07-12-2022, Providence 12:13, What does being a ‘good listener’ look like?
A big topic with little space.
Effectively listening to others is a critical part of our mission on earth and there are intensive training courses, many books written which focus on this critical aspect of life.
We need to understand we are sharing time ” Our Lives ” with this person and clear our minds of anything that would interfere with our listening, if necessary move to a quiet location.
Good listening requires we focus on the speaker. Listen with our eyes, ears and minds. We need to be involved as we watch their body language, eyes, facial expressions, hands, arms and posture. The tone of their voice are they completing sentence’s, staying on topic. Know when to ask appropriate questions to obtain additional information.
We may pray before a conversation or shoot an arrow prayer to the Lord in the middle. However we do it, bring the Holy Spirit into our conversation.
A good listener will know when and how to appropriately close the conversation, and followup with the other person as lead by the Lord.
Ron,
It sounds like you have some serious experience with study regarding this topic. Thank you for sharing!
Is there a difference between a good listener and a good reader? How does being a good listener equate to a blog of written words? But I think that a good listener could be a person that can empathize with you and understand how you feel but with better insight of the whole picture. Like someone tempted in every way but without sin.
Jesus did listened to people with His eyes, ears and His whole mind. He took time to show people how important they were to Him by giving them His undivided attention.
I believe it is possibly, the critical first step to leading others to Christ.
Nice, Ron! 🙂
Tim,
Interesting point! I want to share something related to what you have said here.
When I first started reading the Bible through each year, I did it as a kind of “chore.” I would “read to read” if that makes sense. It was something I had set out to do, and so I did it.
As the years went by and I continued to read the Bible every year, it became more familiar to me. The names of the people became family names. Not just of the OT tribes, but of God’s family. I began to see the connections between events and people. Eventually, I started slowing down and trying to pay more attention.
Doing the blog every day has been extremely helpful in getting myself to “listen” to God’s Word. It requires me to really try and understand what is being said and because I am taking tiny “bites” out of Scripture, I find that there are treasures of God’s wisdom in each one.
I love sharing the blog with you and everyone else that visits here, but I have to wonder if I would still be doing it even if nobody else ever read it. I think I probably would. It really helps me to listen and there is so much in God’s Word to listen to. That said, I am so very glad you and everyone else is sharing this journey with me. Thank you!
Maybe a good listener has a joyful and thankful heart.
Knowing God is certainly a reason for joy and being thankful! 🙂
A good (Christian) listener is a person who lets the other person share their heart, while the listener is listening to God’s heart for the speaker .
Anon-
Well said! Being able to listen to both God and someone else at the same time is an amazing gift, both to the listener and the speaker.