Sermon Title: “Can I Hear You Now?”
Series: Families Grow Up In Wisdom: The Book of James
Date: 10-02-14
Text: James 1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, [NIV84]
The Big Idea: To be an active listener I have to stay on their agenda.
Those who are quick to listen have learned to let go of their agendas. I actually first heard this in a college class I taught on Active Listening. “To be an active listener I have to stay on their agenda,” one student offered. Excellent!
Lifestyle worshipers, this morning’s Heartwork focus verse in the devotion is, in part, 1 John 3:16 — “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” This is the letting go aspect of our own agendas, and trusting the Lord that His is the better agenda. Of course, laying down our lives is the extreme response to this, but at the very least, don’t you think, we can be active listeners who are eager to hear what others have to say, laying down our own agendas—as it were?
Let’s take some time today to practice this aspect of active listening, and stay on the other person’s agenda. Are you will to join me in this aspect of spending ourselves? I pray so….
Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts
— Ephesians 4:29 (NIV84)
— Matthew 20:26-28 (NIV84)
— Romans 12:10 (NIV84)