I don’t know who said it first, but there is an old saying that I heard many times in my youth, “The Lord gave us two ears and one mouth for a good reason!” That’s why he said to be quick to listen and slow to speak. I also hear, “Don’t forget to put your brain in gear before engaging your mouth.” That all goes to the idea that we should put thought into the words that we speak before they come out of our mouth.
Listening is also a valuable skill to possess and you will gain so much wisdom in doing so. It shows that you value what is being communicated to you and respect the other person as well. Gather your thoughts and control your tongue because it holds the power to hurt or to heal. Don’t spew harsh or foolish words out of anger or emotion because, as someone once said, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.” Listen to what others have to say and then use your words to encourage and lift someone up today!
James 1:19 (NLT) - “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: you must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”