“Listen carefully to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears” (Job 13:17). “A wise person will listen and continue to learn, and an understanding person will gain direction” (Prov 1:5).

 In the past few days, God has been encouraging me to listen to him more and pay more attention to those he has committed to my hands. I thought I should share my reflection on this, hoping that it may bless someone. I have been thinking on this subject under the following topics:

 1. The Discipline of Listening is Essential for All Kinds of Learning

As Jesus’ followers we may have all the opportunity to watch, feel, speak (asking questions) and even abide in his presence without listen to him. For instance Jesus said to the people following him in Mk 7:14, “Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. Your souls aren’t harmed by what you eat, but by what you think and say!” (LB). This Bible passage suggests the following:

i.     Jesus loves people and wants them to listen to him. For by listening to Jesus God’s kind of faith is born and nurtured in humans (cf. Rom 10:17).

ii.     Crowd finds it difficult to listen but Jesus said, my sheep hear my voice and follow me (Jn 10:27-30). There are always more and more noisome activities in a crowd.

iii.     Listening to Jesus brings about rapid understanding (in relationships, leaning situations, etc) and facilitates an enduring spiritual growth.

iv.     However, much talking and less listening harm the soul; injure emotions and destroy intimacy in relationships.

We are only true disciples to the extent which we discipline ourselves to listen to the Master. And we are as faithful Disciple-makers to the extent which we are willing to listen to others.

 2. Becoming Like Jesus is not Possible without Listening Him

Jesus spent his time on earth listening to God and to people. This seems to be the most important duty of all believers: Hearing God and be relevant to the world around us. But some of us either do not listen or spent more time listening to wrong things. Jesus listened to men and women, poor and rich, kings and their followers, friends and enemies: and had compassion on them. Today, almost every believer desires to be like Jesus but very, very few want to be like Jesus in the discipline of listening. We all want to be listened to, no one wants to take time to listen to others. We are all good speakers but poor listeners. How I wish the opposite is the case, we would then be excellent speakers. Using the function of body organs, humans are made up of two ears for hearing reasonability and one mouth. This means, it may be more profitable to listen twice or double before speaking.

True Disciples listen more and talk less. They use their two eyes to observe more and their two ears to listen more, as well as their two hands to do and feel more before speaking wisely. That is why wisdom is the right application of a cumulative knowledge in a given situation or circumstance. Lord, help my heart to be like Jesus in seeking to listen more to God and through God listen to people’s cry, pains, groaning and hurts.

3. People of God Listen to God’s Voice

When the people of God no longer listen to God they will take him for granted. I like the say that “Christians who can no longer listen to one another will soon no longer be listening to God either; they will always be talking even in the presence of God.”

It is God’s will that his people should listen to his voice. God’s lamentation in Psalm 81:11-13 does not only serve as warning to us but also reveal to us what it means to listen to God. The God laments:

But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
O that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways! (Psalm 81:11-13).

 4. Learn to Listen More to Others

I like Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s discipleship reflection when he succinctly observed that “We do God’s work for our brothers and sisters when we learn to listen to them. So often Christians, especially preachers, think that their only service is always to have to ‘offer’ something when they are together with other people. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking. Many people seek a sympathetic ear and do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are talking even when they should be listening.” May God help me to listen more daily as I seek to engage with the people around me.

5.Gateway Questions:

i.       Write about a time when you benefited from having another Christian listen to you.

ii.       Write about your experience as a listener. Are you a good listener? Did you feel like you were doing God’s work as you listened?

iii.       Do you know someone in your community or in your church who never seems to be listened to?

iv.       Would you prayer that God will grant you courage, compassion and availability to connect with them and allow them speak their hearts and mind to you?

LORD TRAIN MY EARS TO LISTEN TO YOU MORE AND MORE AND TO YOUR PEOPLE ALSO.