Listen First, Then Speak

James 1: 19-20 

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. (NIV)

 

One of the most human reactions is to jump to conclusions. Its close cousin is to not listen well to others before taking action or forming an opinion. If you can recall people who have made you feel valued or even loved, it is likely they had the habit of being good listeners. 

 

Most people respond well, even without knowing why, to those who listen and take full measure of what they have to say. If you have a hard time with the spiritual model of this, use the mathematical logic of the western mind and consider that God gave us two ears and one mouth. If we used them in that proportion, or even used a larger ratio in the same direction, we would all be a little better off in our relationships. 

 

Even though people will be at different places on the scale of listening, make a deliberate effort to listen closer to them to see what you may have been missing. Ask follow up questions. Be an active listener. ” I think I hear you saying ….(fill in per context)” is an excellent tool to use when speaking to others to sharpen your own listening skills and to let others know you value them. 

 

A trick hound men have used while following their pack on chase is to cup a hand behind an ear, or both ears, to pick up more sound coming to them when the signals are faint. Try it sometime, it works quite well. That’s why so many wise seniors use it to help fading hearing. 

 

Then remember the literal act and apply its lesson to your communication style. Combined with a little patience in coming to a conclusion, you will be a better friend, spouse, parent or business partner.

 

When sleeping outdoors in a tent in cool weather conditions, be prepared to put on clean, dry clothing, particularly underwear, when getting ready to crawl under the covers or in the sleeping bag. Clothes you’ve been active in all day will have some moisture from perspiration even in dry, cool conditions. Cotton socks are the worst. While you may feel comfortable at first, the damp clothing will let you down later in the night as temperatures cool and the warming from your fire or heater has worn off. Making sure you are dry before turning in will help ensure the best possible night’s sleep