LISTEN/SILENT

LISTEN AND SILENT use the same letters. May there be some thing there that we need to learn?

I learned something about myself after I had been pastoring fulltime for some time. Someone would be telling me of a situation/problem/concern when something they said caught my attention. At that point I mentally closed my hearing, waiting to jump in and address that point. I did not really hear anything else they were saying.

There is a term for this but at this point I can't remember it. I was listening for something I could address, not to hear what all they were saying.

One of the main points to being a good friend/spouse is to know that most people just need some one to listen. A wife may be telling of a hard time at work that day. Husband stops her and gives her three things she should do to take care of it. All she wants is for him to listen, not try to fix anything. We  men tend to be fixers.

There are two verses that somewhat address this malady. Ecclesiastes 3:7b  "...a time to keep silence, and a time speak;" and James 1:19 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak,...". Pay attention husbands and you who want to be married.😀😀   Also, memorize 1 Peter 3:7.