Listen Twice, Speak Once

"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 
  
How often do we find ourselves in conversations where we're not really listening, but just waiting for our turn to speak? Or worse, how often do we talk over someone, thinking our opinion is more important? It's time to remember the wise words of James 1:19 and start listening twice as much as we speak.

God has given us two ears and one mouth for a reason. We are meant to listen more than we speak. But it can be hard to put into practice. Our culture tells us that we need to speak up and make our voices heard, but we can forget that listening is just as important.
 
When we listen, we show others that we value and respect them. We can learn so much from other people's perspectives and experiences, and we can't do that if we're too busy talking. Listening also allows us to hear God's voice in our lives. When we quiet our own thoughts and listen to others, we open ourselves up to hear God's still, small voice guiding us in the right direction.
 
On the other hand, when we're quick to speak and slow to listen, we often miss out on important information and can even cause harm. We can hurt others with our words and miss opportunities to show love and compassion. But when we listen well, we can build deeper relationships and bring healing and hope to those around us.

Let's remember James 1:19 and make a conscious effort to listen twice as much as we speak. Let's value others and show them the love of Christ through our attentive listening. And let's open ourselves up to hear God's voice in our lives as we listen for his guidance and direction.
 
So, let's put this into practice today and every day. Let's be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.