There's a Reason God Gave You One Mouth and Two Ears

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (James 1:19).

Take a moment to let that profound truth sink in. Quick to listen. Slow to speak. Slow to anger.

Said another way, there's a reason God gave you one mouth and two ears.

Here's what James knew. When we talk too much and listen too little, we communicate to others that our opinions are better than theirs. Our ideas, superior to theirs. Our knowledge, vaster than theirs. We are more important than they are.

Listening too little is sin. The sneaky kind of sin that we often don't immediately realize we're committing. But we are.

Jesus was a listener. And he commanded his followers to become listeners as well, "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear" (Mark 4:23).

Talk less. Listen more.

Life's best listeners are life's most successful people!