“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”  — James 1:19-20 NIV

It’s likely that we all have heard an old saying that goes, “God gave us two ears and one mouth so we listen more than we speak.” Well, there happens to be some truth in that saying. If we listen more than we talk we’ll have a greater chance of not showing our ignorance, creating a stronger bond with others, and being able to actually think. When we listen to someone we are telegraphing that we care about them, we build a stronger relationship, and we can process what they are saying more thoughtfully.

However, you’ve probably noticed as I have that most people would rather be talking than listening. Many years ago I worked at a hospital with a new chaplain who was misfitted for the job because he couldn’t listen. He would ask a question, but never wait for the reply. He would interject his own thoughts interrupting the speaker. Needless to say, his employment didn’t last.

The message from this verse to you and to me is simple. Take the time to listen because in listening more than we talk we learn, we love, and we are far more effective at the tasks at hand.