One Mouth

Do you want to know the most important skill you can ever learn to better your communication with others?

Listen to what they have to say.

Seems simple, and yet it's such a hard thing to learn to do properly. I thought about this today when I was having a conversation with a family member. I found myself listening for a while, but then my mind started drifting off. I totally started to miss something really important he was trying to tell me.

Not only is it hard for me to concentrate sometimes, but I also struggle with listening more than I speak. My pastor sums up what God calls us to do perfectly: "You have two ears and one mouth." Therefore,He wants us to LISTEN to people. Hear what they have to say. Love them by being there for them.

James 1:19 says, "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger."

God is calling us to listen to others. If we let our minds wander in a conversation or feel the need to speak over another person when they're talking, we are not fulfilling our duty as a fearful child of God. It's not an easy thing to fix, but we have to try.