Are You a Good Listener?
Do you struggle to listen to God's voice or to listen to others? It's hard to listen when we're naturally inclinded to speak, but as James shares, there is great value to listening.
Are you a great listener?
Likely, you know what that feels like to be talking to a person who has this impatient look on their face, and as soon as you pause, they jump in with their thoughts that often have nothing to do with what you just said. Sure, they nod their head and give you your time, but truth be told, they care little about what you say.
Active listening is hard. It's more than just waiting your chance to talk and involves actually caring about the person delivering the message.
The word for "listen" that James uses is synonymous with obedience, as is also the case in the Old Testament. To truly hear is to obey. Hearing is not just a passive process; it is an active one. This is the central theme of James: not just to be someone who merely hears and understands the word of God, but someone who intentionally obeys.
Let God Have the First Word
An obvious way to apply this passage to our current context is by starting this pattern with God in our worship time with him. Now, if I were to be honest, for much of my life, I set the agenda for my time alone with God, and we talked about what I wanted to talk about.
Sure, I would start off by reading a passage or two of Scripture, but then I would close my Bible and offer up prayers to God based on what I thought I needed for the day. In doing so, it was as if I completely skipped over what I had just read in an effort to get to my agenda.
As Daniel Henderson notes, it's the person who starts the conversation who sets the agenda. For example, if you were to walk up to me and start talking, we would naturally talk about the subject you had decided upon. Likewise, when we come to God with our litany of prayer requests, we shift from listening mode to speaking.
