Do you? Do you listen to what you say (and how you say it)? For a moment, can you put yourself in the position of being the hearer – how the hearer would hear what you are saying? Are you lucid? Are you relevant? Are you only speaking to hear yourself speak? What are you saying… and why? No this doesn’t require you to censor yourself nor is it asking that you obsess about this – merely, do you listen to what your saying and discover how you would respond to you?
These are not frivolous questions. If you want to be an effective communicator, if you want your message to be heard – then you need to know what it is that you are saying and be alert to the clues about how others are receiving and understanding what you said! Is the message the focus or the speaker or the recipients? Too often it isn’t the message that is spoken or heard.
I know I’ve written on this before and focused, especially, on the scripture that tells us we will be held accountable for every idle word we speak. It’s the ‘idle’ that’s important. And it is we who should judge ourselves as to not only what we are saying but why. Personally, I join the group who are terrible at ‘party chatter’ primarily because I think it’s a waste. But don’t quickly judge what you hear as only ‘chatter’. This brings us to the focus – Listen.
This brought me to the question of whether ‘listen’ is defined in scripture. It is and it begins in Deuteronomy. I do believe that the word is defined in terms of the effect when we do listen.
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one [the only God]! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and with all your soul and with all your strength [your entire being]. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be [written] on your heart and mind. You shall teach them diligently to your children [impressing God’s precepts on their minds and penetrating their hearts with His truths] and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.” [6:4-7]
In it’s simplest understanding, ‘listen’ and ‘hear’ are related. But listen goes far beyond just hearing – often it’s an impetus to action. In these verses it talks about what and how to listen; they evoke a responsibility and an attentiveness. God’s words to His people which tell us what to do, the reason we are doing it, and our attitudes toward it. My question is – is this our basis to judge the words that come out of our mouths? Should we be as intentional?
Yet none of that is censorship or even obsession… it’s intentional. Can we do this? Does the Lord expect us to because if He does then we can. Perhaps the last question relates to our attitude toward the message. Is the message important? If it is, then the message is designed to bring knowledge and understanding and to initiate a response. Does it? Does it provide sufficient information to make a reasoned decision?
I believe it is in the presentation. How you go about presenting that has an important impact. Simple example: when you are presenting, do you allow for/encourage the questions from your audience? Is your presentation formal or more relaxed? Do you tailor how you speak to your audience and/or the context of the message?
Again… back to your priorities and attitudes about your focus – speaking or understanding. You can only present the truth as you see and understand it. Is this your rep? If it is then others do pay attention when you speak. One of your greatest assets is… do you listen to what you say???
