Listen Up!

President Franklin D, Roosevelt got tired of smiling that big smile and saying the usual things at all those White House receptions. So, one evening he decided to find out whether anybody was paying attention to what he was saying. As each person came up to him with extended hand, he flashed that big smile and said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning." People would automatically respond with comments such as "How lovely!" or "Just continue with your great work!" Nobody listened to what he was saying, except one foreign diplomat. When the president said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning," the diplomat responded softly, "I'm sure she had it coming to her."
The story is told of two men talking one day. One of them said, "My wife talks to herself a lot." His friend answered, "Mine does, too, but she doesn't know it. She thinks I'm listening." That isn't very nice, but let me ask, do we listen when others are talking? In the Bible it says, "let every man be swift to hear..." (James1:19). I'm afraid that most of us don't listen to others when they are talking, because we are thinking about what we are about to say to them. Someone once said that, "it is impossible for a worthwhile thought to enter your mind through an open mouth." I got an idea, let's all listen to one another as we share with one another!
The rest of that verse in James says, "be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath". God's word is always right but of no value if we don't do it. Have a blessed weekend.