My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

James 1:19

Are we listening or just waiting for our turn to talk?

I’ve been in some kind of sales role for most of my adult life. Long ago in pharmaceuticals, we were sometimes referred to as detail reps, because our role was to provide the reasons why a physician would help their patients by prescribing the medicine I sampled. And so, in those early years, we were doing much more talking than listening.

But people soon tire of others who only want to talk and never listen, right? If you want to have a relationship with someone, you need to learn to listen and that doesn’t mean just sitting politely until it’s your turn to speak.

A couple of weeks ago, one of the men in the small group I’ve been attending while in Phoenix made a bold and vulnerable statement as he requested prayer for his marriage. I don’t know him, but in my experience, when a person feels it’s time to mention this topic, they’re in a not-so-good place. I don’t know the man outside of this group, so I spoke with the group leader and suggested he get in touch with a pastor who can help.

And then tonight, I spent a couple of hours with some friends. It was a wide-ranging conversation that centered mostly on our families and the opportunities we have to be a godly influence in the lives of those we love. We talked. We listened and as we know, listening is more than just hearing the words spoken by another.