What type of a listener are you?

There are two types of listeners:

1. The passive listener
2. The active listener

The passive listener is the one who is listening but is not really paying attention or hears what is said. Have you ever watched the news on TV and you realize you have not heard a word they said?  (and I would not blame you for that one). How about being at church, listening to the sermon, but your mind is wandering? (well, I wouldn't blame you there either sometimes). You may be watching the people, or thinking about what you will be serving for dinner tonight, or maybe thinking about your kids and what homework they haven't finished. It happens to all of us at one time or another. I used to have a boss who was like that. You knew she wasn't listening, her mind was on the next task. My own mother used to do that sometimes. Watching her favorite TV program was more important than listening or talking to me. It is annoying when people do that, and it makes you feel unimportant. I am ashamed to admit that there are times, I find myself doing the exact same thing. 

On the other hand, an active listener listens to every word you say, and goes to church excited and ready to hear what God is going to say. She/he may be taking notes, or following along in her/his Bible. God communicates in different ways, and when he talks we should always be ready to listen actively. When we listen passively, we actually come away empty and uninspired.

There is a great example in the book of Nehemiah. We read how the Israelites were desperate to hear from God. After they had been in captivity for 70 years, in Babylon, they finally returned to their land, Israel.  They rebuilt their homes, the Temple and Jerusalem's walls. Then they gathered around Ezra, who was a Prophet and a scribe, as he read God's Word. The Bible says that .....

1. they listened patiently, as Ezra read, from morning until midday.
2. they listened attentively, eager to hear what God had to say.
3. they listened humbly. When Ezra opened the scrolls, they respectfully stood, and they bowed low to worship. They showed repentance, felt sorry for their sins, and they wept.
4. they listened purposefully, and they wanted to obey what they heard.

I remember when I was younger, and I would be watching TV or just sitting around visiting with my parents They would be sharing stories about their lives and stories from their past, and their families. I would nod as if to show I was paying attention, but I wasn't. I was too "busy" with other things on my mind. I had heard the same stories before, and they were boring, or irrelevant to my life. Fast forward 30 years. My parents are long gone, and now that I have "time", I reminisce about some things and wonder about some of those stories or people they talked about. However, regretfully, I cannot remember much. Now I want to know, now I am interested, but they are not here to answer all these questions that I have. Now I am sorry I didn't listen more attentively. 

I was a passive listener. I cannot recapture the moment or the story. I will never know, no matter how much I want to. Unfortunately, this is the life cycle, it seems. Others are now doing the same thing to us. They are "too busy" to listen. Our stories are "boring" them. Maybe sometime in the near future they will be interested, but it may be too late. 

Like anything else in life, we make decisions and our decisions have consequences. From now on decide to be a better listener. Be an active listener and not a passive listener. You will not regret it!