The Art of Listening
Listen to advice and accept instruction.
Proverbs 19:20
Gary’s patience was being tested. His young trainee continually interrupted his instruction, trying to finish Gary’s sentences. Yet each time he spoke out of turn, he found himself embarrassed as Gary showed him the error in his assumptions.
“Look, Bobby, I know you’re intelligent,” Gary began. “But every time you interrupt, you display an inability to listen to instruction, and you extend the length of this training session. Please listen and hold your responses and questions until we complete each phase. All right?”
“I’m sorry, sir. I just get kinda nervous in these situations. I want you to know I’ll be able to handle whatever you give me to do. I don’t want to upset you. I really want this job and want to impress you. I guess that was a crash and burn effort.”
“Look, Bobby,” Gary confided, “we don’t mind training someone who is willing to learn. That type of person takes instruction well. And that’s who we’re looking for.”
“I understand. If I promise to listen, will you give me another chance?” he asked, his countenance showing he meant what he said.
Gary was sensitive to the young man’s uneasiness. “Sure, Bobby. It’s understandable that you’re a little bit nervous. But in the future … I suggest you train yourself to listen. You’ll learn a lot more.”
†
Listening is a discipline. Bobby is not unique. We’ve all spoken out of turn only to find out we were wrong. It’s easy to want to showcase our experience. But in our eagerness to succeed, we can speak when we should be listening. A willingness to show ourselves teachable is far more attractive than continually trying to outguess or impress someone.
Active listening is the art of controlling our emotions and our tongue, trading our silence for knowledge we might not possess. Failure to listen robs us of vital knowledge that may benefit us in the future. It also shows us as immature and impulsive. It is better for us to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open our mouths and confirm it.
Prayer
“Help me learn to listen, Lord. Still my tongue and open the ears of my heart. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”
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