Learn to listen

PROVERBS 16 vs 20

“Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.”

I had never paid much attention to the concept of listening until I was sent a write-up on it. One of the most difficult things to do is to accept criticism and correction. To be told you are wrong is one of the hardest pills to swallow.

The default reaction to correction is to be defensive and in most cases, brush the issues aside because listening to what you don’t like to hear can be an uphill task. It’s often easier to give advice and correction, but it’s very hard for the same pill to be prescribed back to you. Why do people find it difficult to listen and take instruction?

Saul was given explicit instructions on how to deal with the inhabitants of a land he was set to go to war with and overcome. He was told to kill everything but to not take any of the plunder. Instead, at the end of the battle he chose to disregard the words of the prophet and decided to keep the king he had defeated alive. Further disregarding the instruction, he chose to keep the spoils rather than destroy everything as had been instructed. When Samuel arrived, he asked Saul why he had gone against the instructions, Saul looked for all sorts of excuses to defend himself. He ended up telling lies to justify his obedience and that resulted in the glory of the Lord departing from him and his kingdom was doomed. It would have been all the much easier had he just listened and taken the instruction he had been given. Be blessed! REFLECTIONS OF A WORK IN PROGRESS ... For More Info: Visit our website: www.thefigtree.org Email us on info@thefig-tree.org Catch us on Star FM, Monday to Friday at 0620hours.