Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 18:11-15
Prov 18:11-15
11 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination. 12 Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor. 13 If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame. 14 A man’s spirit will endure sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear? 15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
Matt 13:9, 13
He who has ears, let him hear. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Jesus seldom used the word “listen” but often taught the importance of doing it before one acts or speaks. Three times in the book of Matthew we read the phrase: “He who has ears, let him hear.” This same phrase is found in the book of Revelation eight times, with seven of them being repeated to each of the seven churches of Asia. God gave us ears to hear, and he expects us to use them.
In our selection of Proverbs today, we find the dangers of pride and not taking time to listen. These two things seem to go together because often, the reason we do not listen is because of our pride. We think we know all the answers and what is right, even before we take time to hear what someone else has to say. It may come as a shock to some people, but the opinions of others may be worth hearing. None of us has all the answers, not you and not me. Listen.
Another reason to learn to effectively listen is because often things are not what they seem, and other people may not be thinking or saying what we assume they are going to say. We let “trigger words” get in the way of understanding what is being said and so we don’t ever get the message. That single word may not mean the same thing to them as it does to us, so we need to hear what is being said.
Listen to the sound of silence. It is in silence that we can think, we can meditate and process what has been said to us in the past. It is in silence that we can often hear the voice of God speaking in our minds and hearts as his Spirit teaches us, nudges us, reminds us, and explains to us. He reveals his truth to us personally, as he puts the puzzle of his word together in our minds, in the reality of our situation. Listen to the silence.
Lord, teach me to listen. Remind me that I need to hear what others are saying and to consider what others think and to remember that I do not always know the right answers, for myself and certainly not for others. Empower me to keep my mouth shut and to be silent, so I can listen. I know that I am important to you and that you love me but don’t let me think that my importance is in me but is rather from you and in you. Rid me of pride. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
