Be quick to listen, slow to speak.
—James 1:19
I saw this on a bumper sticker: My wife says I never pay attention to what she says—or something like that.
You show that you value people when you give them your undivided attention. You can’t listen—really listen—and do something else at the same time.
Another thing. You can’t listen—really listen—when you’re thinking about what you’re going to say next, instead of focusing on what the one speaking is saying now. Best-selling author Stephen Covey wrote: “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand, they listen with the intent to reply.”
“Don’t talk so much . . . Be sensible and turn off the flow” (Prv 10:19).
Relationships are crippled by talking too much and listening too little.
Speak little, listen much.