A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. — Proverbs 1:5
One of the most challenging things to do in life is to learn to listen. My son, ever since he learned to talk, wants to talk. There are many times when it is challenging to get a word in. Sometimes, I have to look at him and remind him to listen. It usually doesn’t last long, as with most kids.
Many adults struggle with listening as well. I recall a former coworker that I had. This was a very smart person with lots of great experience and knowledge to share. Unfortunately, they didn’t always know when it was time to stop talking and listen. It seemed as though they would talk to simply hear themselves talk, which would often make them look foolish.
Proverbs is filled with reminders, such as this one, about the importance of listening. In this verse, we are reminded that a wise man will hear and increase learning. In other words, a wise person understands that to learn and grow, they must listen. It is an important aspect of becoming wise. But it goes just a bit further.
Once you are a person of understanding, you also understand the importance of wise counsel. This means that you will not only listen, but you listen to the experiences and knowledge of those around you. It’s more than just hearing what they say, it’s reasoning through their perspective.
We often seek more understanding in life. We want God to show us more, take us deeper, and help us see things in a different way. But to do so, there are many moments when we must stop and listen. Not only listening to God, but our fellow Christians around us who have wisdom to share from their own experience.
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