“If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” (ESV)

How many times have you watched a talking heads program as the two (or more) guests responded to what each other was saying almost as if they hadn’t heard them at all?  The fact is, a lot of the times they haven’t.  They come ready with their list of talking points and are committed to firing those off regardless of what the other person has said.  Those shows may attract some audiences for the spectacle of it, but not for the news they offer.  It’s really embarrassing.  

How often do we do that, though?  When we talk to each other, how often do we not really listen and respond to what we thought we heard rather than to what was actually said?  We come off looking like fools and do damage to the relationship.

Better is to take the advice of Solomon here.  Before you speak: Listen.  Listen closely and well.  Listen to make sure you’ve heard what was said.  Listen to make sure you’ve caught the spirit with which it was said.  Catch the non-verbal clues.  Listen to the whole thing and then, after some thought, respond just to that.  I suspect we could cure quite a few societal ills if we could all forget what foot stew tastes like.