Today’s Superverse is Proverbs 18:2 – Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.
A good listener is a rare and valuable gift. They can build bridges in even the most delicate conversations. They can deepen relationships, shape emotions, and inform decisions. Most of us know this and believe we are good listeners. But the truth is that most of us have room for improvement. Listening is a complex skill that requires many abilities, skills, and habits that can be difficult to master. It is often easy to get caught up in our own thoughts or distracted by other factors, such as a busy environment or the pressure to respond quickly. When these obstacles are overcome, the listener can focus on genuinely understanding the speaker’s perspective and feelings.
The listener can also help point the speaker to fresh perspectives through careful, but genuine, questions. He can ask leading questions, such as “What do you think about…” or “How would you feel if…”
A skilled listener will take care not to interrogate the speaker but rather meekly draw out his thoughts and feelings through gentle probing. He will listen with an open mind, and watch carefully for nonverbal communication. Good listening often defuses the emotions that are a part of the problem being discussed. This can free the speaker to solve the issue without having to say anything, or it may open his heart for further discussion.
Solomon offers a blunt assessment of the listener who is more concerned with expressing himself than listening to the wisdom of others: “He who answers before he hears, that is his folly and his shame.” He who doesn’t take time to understand, but prefers to air his own opinions, will only find himself on the path to destruction.
Anyone who refuses to keep his mouth shut will soon be unable to listen to God or his brother (Proverbs 18:21). He who cannot stop talking will ultimately find himself in Hell, where all the words he has spoken will be remembered and analyzed by the devil (Revelation 16:20).
The wisdom of this proverb is a reminder that we need to seek first to understand before we speak (Philippians 2:4). Our relationship with Christ enables this and empowers us to develop the necessary listening skills. So work hard to improve your ability to listen, and don’t forget that God is at work in you, shaping you into his image, as you actively communicate with other believers. Amen. Pastor Mike Mohler, Senior Pastor, New Life Christian Church, Overland Park, Kansas
