Do Your Best to Listen

 August 22, 2024

Thursday

Some people seem to be professional intellectuals. They believe they are smarter than everyone else. They won't listen to others. In fact, they insulate themselves with like-minded people so that they can never be proven wrong. They fail to see the arguments made from those they disagree with. They frankly see others as merely foolish. They propose ideas that have failed and claim that the reason they failed is because they weren't the ones making the ideas work.

Proverbs 12:15 (NASB 2020) ¹⁵ The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a person who listens to advice is wise.

The Bible would call these intellectuals fools. They are not fools because they are uneducated nor because they lack knowledge of a variety of subjects. They are fools because they fail to listen to others. They will take up causes without listening to the reason why things are like they are. They protest without grasping the whole picture. They fail to seek counsel.

You will know a fool when he does not listen to you. You will know a fool when he things he is above you. You will know a fool when there is nothing more he needs to know.

Proverbs 18:2 (NASB 2020) ² A fool does not delight in understanding, But in revealing his own mind.

On the other hand, a wise man listens to both sides of an argument. A wise man asks for counsel from those who have also proven themselves to be wise. A wise man fears the Lord.

Proverbs 1:7 (NASB 2020) ⁷ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction..

Of course, there are some people who are highly intellectual. They are also humble and listen to others. They are wise. In fact, they are incredibly wise because it would be much easier to think that they already have all the answers to the world's problems. It is one thing to have a strong mind. It is even stronger to be able to disciple a strong mind.

So, be wise. Listen to others. Listen to the Lord. Know that you can learn from everyone. Make sure you understand why someone argues their position. And don't call people fools. Let them do that for themselves.