Wednesday; August 7

How well do we listen?  The older I get the harder it seems for me to hear.  I am not saying that I need to be fitted for hearing aids, but I have noticed that people seem to be whispering a lot more.  Now, while our ability to hear might diminish with the years, there is another kind of hearing problem that has nothing to do with our chronological age.  Centuries ago, the wise man of the Old Testament observed, “He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him.” (Proverbs 18:13).  In essence, if we talk before we know what we are talking about, we are apt to look (and act) foolish.  Now, while this may seem to be absurd, it is probably more common than we expect.  Have you ever been trying to explain something to someone only to be brushed away with the comment, “I know, I know.”.  Maybe – more importantly – how many times have we heard ourselves dismiss someone’s observation with the wave of a hand and a flippant, “Yeah, I get it.”.  Do we even know what they talking about or do we just think we know what they are talking about?      

Let’s be willing to listen to what people are saying to us.  Let’s focus on listening, not just hearing.  Imagine how much more we can learn if we actually engage with people – not just gaining information, but building relationships as well.

Think About It!

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