Word of Encouragement for Every New Day

Today’s word of encouragement is, “The Power of Listening”. In the modern world where everything has become so efficient, it has actually caused some negative side effects. One of them is “Impatience”. As we become more impatient, the tendency would be becoming impatient with people as well. Listening is one of the hardest things for people to do because people are all so different, and to be honest we are more concerned with “our world” then other people’s issues.

Kern Lee, a trained English teacher states, “Listening is different from hearing. Hearing is only a physical sense that we all have, but Listening is hearing and understanding.” Imagine the word Listen is mentioned 413 times in the Bible; there must be something important for us to learn about listening.

Developing this key characteristic of “Listening” is vital, most often miscommunication, arguments, and conflicts are started because someone was not listening. There are many benefits to growing this character in us of listening, but I am only going to focus on three main points.

· Listening, helps us relationally with people, because it builds trust, honor, respect, it makes people feel appreciated, and it brings affirmation.
· Listening, will grow the leadership quality in you. Whether or not we will be in a place of high authority or influence, it does not matter. We are all called to lead, and listening is essential. Effective leaders listen not only to their mentors, advisors, but they listen to their peers and workers below them as well.
· It will equip you with wisdom, not only to help others, but it is humbling, because it takes the focus away from the “ME First, My Needs, ME-ME focused” and it turns it to “You first, Your needs, You-You focused”.

Today, let us all pray more of this gift, not only to listen to others, but more importantly to listen to our Father. In Proverbs 18:13 the Bible says, “He who answers before listening—that is his folly and his shame.” Proverbs 19:20, Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.