" WHY LISTEN AT ALL"

Listening is vital and really important for us to stay focused and listen. No matter how right we think we are, we must always be careful to stop and listen to others. The extra time and effort can save us pain and trouble in the long run. God is waiting to hear from us, and yes he will listen to each of us. We may believe that God wants to hear only certain request from us. While it is true that we should offer Praise, Confession, and Respectful Petition, it is true also that God is willing to listen to anything we want to tell him. God will always listen to us, and he will fully understand what we say. We hear with our ears, but there is a deeper kind of listening with the mind and heart that is necessary in order to gain spiritual understanding of Jesus' words. Some people in the crowd were looking for evidence to use against Jesus; others truly wanted to learn and grow. Jesus' words were for the honest seekers. Paying careful attention is hard work. It involves focusing our minds, bodies, and senses. Listening to Christ means not merely hearing, but also obeying (see James 1:22-25). We must listen carefully and be ready to carry out his instructions. LAST POINT: When we talk too much and listen too little, we communicate to others that we think our ideas are much more important than theirs. James wisely advises us to reverse this process. Now I suggest putting a mental stopwatch on your conversations and keep track of how much you talk and how much you listen. When people talk to you, do they feel that their viewpoints and ideas have value? Until Next Time... Jim,