“To answer before listening – that is folly and shame.”   – Proverbs 18:13

You might find it unbelievable, but one of the major frustrations of the pastoral ministry is feeling like your words are unheard.  You might think that the uninterrupted half hour of preaching I get to do on Sunday mornings and evenings would ensure that my message gets across.  Who else gets that kind of platform from which to speak their mind?  But communication is a two-way street.  It doesn’t matter how true, how caring, or how eloquent the message is if the hearer is not willing to receive it.  You’ve probably felt similarly… that you’re “talking to a brick wall” when your child, your friend, or your loved one refuses to listen to the guidance you’re trying to offer.  I can’t tell you how it breaks my heart to have well-intentioned men, women, and young people sit in my office and ask for Godly counsel, only to leave here and do the exact thing God’s Word tells them not to do.  We’ve all felt unheard, and it’s frustrating.

The truth of the matter is, we’ve also been the stubborn souls who refused to listen.  There have been times I’ve walked away before a sentence was finished, or answered before I knew the whole story.  If we are going to expect understanding from others, we must seek to first be understanding, ourselves.  Make it a point this week not to answer or jump to conclusions until you have listened, understood, and – if necessary – prayed about what you need to say in return.