He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him. (Proverbs 18:13)

Listen Before Speaking

The human body is an amazing creation that highlights the majesty of God’s design. There is a complex set of factors that create the body in the womb that will continue to survive for upwards of one hundred years. During this time, the brain will continue to function along with the heart, organs, limbs, eyes, nose, and mouth, and change from an infant to an older person. It is assumed the heart and brain require the greatest amount of energy to continue, but actually, the inner ear demands the most bodily energy. God designed the inner ear as a part of the complex system of awareness through sound, expending greater amounts of energy. It seems the message from God is that men should be more attentive about listening than anything else.

A great listener is a wise man. Solomon admonishes that wisdom is found in a man who listens first before speaking. No one would criticize an artist for his work if he has yet to begin to chip away on the stone. A man who finds fault with the painter when he draws a rudimentary image is a fool. So it is that a man who judges a matter before he has heard all the facts is wrong himself. Listening is the art of sifting all the information to make a determined course of action and is one of the least applied sciences of the human body. God created two ears and one mouth to show the folly of talking before listening.

Wisdom comes from learning how to listen and when to listen. It is folly to jump to a conclusion before all the facts are presented. Proud men will answer before listening. Foolishness is bound in a man’s ear who answers a matter before hearing the substance. Taking the time to weigh each word carefully brings an answer suitable for the need. Pondering the thoughts and intents will gauge the listener to make a sound judgment. Anything less shows folly. A wise man is an excellent listener.

James describes the tongue as an unruly evil, and no greater image of the unbridled tongue is found than when it is set loose before taking the time to listen. There is a need to be slow to speak and swift to hear to control the tongue. Anger can become a sin that will spread like wildfire if not properly contained. How many times has someone flown off the handle about a matter because they had not heard all the facts? No man can tame the tongue, but he can slow it down by taking time to listen carefully. There is practical wisdom in being a man who is slow to speak. Taking the time to listen will limit how often a man is made a fool. It is best to remain silent and thought a fool; than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt. Careful listening always precedes a heart full of wisdom.