Hear ye, Hear me

~ Dee

“My dearest brothers and sisters, take this to heart: Be quick to listen, but slow to speak. And be slow to become angry.” James 1:19‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Today, Holy Spirit taught me something:

By immediately going into giving advice to folks who share issues they are encountering, I assume the prideful assumption that they never considered what the best option may be for themselves. I also present myself as being smarter and more superior than them.

This means, when someone comes to me with a problem, before I go off on a spiel to tell them what I think, and what they should do (or not do), my posture should be to listen and when appropriate, ask questions.

  • Do you need my input?
  • Have you thought about such and such?
  • Are you sharing because you need advice?
  • How can I help?

These are just a few questions that encourage the party to think, and certainly remind me never to assume I know it all, for the truth is, I certainly don’t 😉

#thoughtfulthursday

PS: The above is part 1 of a series of brief thoughts that will be shared each Thursday until…

45 thoughts on “Hear ye, Hear me”

  1. Good points to listen and ask if they are seeking advice at all. I used to jump to giving advice when I was younger but I remember one of the ladies I knew then used to always listen and ask the other person quite a few questions before giving any sort of advice at all and only when they asked for it. That is something I learnt from her.

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    1. Yes gurl 🤛🏽, seeing this response by others have always left me humbled. The questions asked, their tones, their responses – the whole shebang! May the Lord certainly help us to be great listeners.

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  6. Great word! I especially like what you said about your posture should be one of listening and your questions are so on target when someone wants to talk about a problem. Look forward to more thoughtful insights! 💗

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      1. I have found that, especially with young people, that they welcome advice when they ask for it.
        Often we long to give advice, since the solution seems so clear to us, but people generally will only appreciate our advice when they ask.
        May our Lord give us the sensitivity to know when to listen, and when to speak.🤗

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        1. Amen!! So so true, Sally. And as a youngish person lol, I’ve found that when I go to an elder who readily gives advice (while I’m still sharing), I’m not likely to go back and share my issues. On the contrary, when I’m asked questions to make me think and ponder and when I’m asked if I need an advice, my posture is different. I find myself more welcoming.

          Amen to that prayer dear friend 🙏🏽🤗

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  10. As someone who lives with chronic illness, I can say that I have had TOO MANY offer me the same unsolicited advice over and over again. Someone who listens and prayers for me is golden.

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  12. This is great advice Dee! It’s important to take time to listen to others and not be so quick to speak. By listening more, we can all learn from one another. Looking forward to your Thursday thoughts. 🤗

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    1. Ah my sister, it is of utmost importance. There’s so much to learn from those around. Oh yes, looking forward to those thoughts too. PS: Someone nudged me to begin sharing more nuggets 🤗

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  14. Pingback: Hear ye, Hear me — Imago Dei – quietmomentswithgod

  15. Wow. Thanks for sharing this big sis. Listening is golden. And so true: sometimes your presence alone is what the “sharer” needs. A listening ear and heart is truly golden. 🤗
    ❤❤

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  16. This post is exactly what I needed! We sometimes are too quick to speak and we barely listen to others and that’s problematic.

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