Learning to Listen #1

Proverbs 1: 

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
    to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
    in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
    knowledge and discretion to the youth—
5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
    and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
    the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
    fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Life is filled with mis-made plans, stupid mistakes, and downright sins. Most could be avoided if we would learn one thing: how to listen.  As Solomon, one of the wisest men to walk the earth shares from his life of failures, he tells us how to think things through, make good decisions, deal with people, and not develop bad patterns of thinking, speaking, and behavior. Verse 5 is key: Let the wise hear.  Solomon was writing a best seller book, but he knew that many would not listen, only half listen, or physically hear what he had to say, but go on ignoring - or even despising - the truths God would reveal to and through him. The sooner we learn that we do not know it all, and that we need to learn to listen to God and those who speak for Him, the sooner we will avoid foolish thinking, words and actions.  We can easily look around us and see how those around us need wisdom. Can we see it in ourselves?