Listening is a skill we develop. It does not happen by accident. It requires intention to truly hear and understand what someone is saying. I am very good at tuning out. Tuning in is different. I have to make a deliberate effort to tune the dial and find the exact frequency where you are speaking.
If there is anything that frustrates me, it is when people do not listen. Maybe that is something I picked up from my parents. Growing up, if they had even the slightest suspicion that I was not paying attention, I was doomed to a long lecture. And during that lecture, I had better be ready to repeat what they said word for word, because without fail they would ask, “What did I just say?” If I could not repeat it, the lecture only lasted longer.
In school, the discipline I learned at home served me well. I was motivated to get good grades, because slipping in that arena would certainly trigger another death-by-lecture moment. Listening to instructions is the key to good grades so I learned to tune the dial quickly and lock onto the frequency of whoever was speaking.
Tuning in to God’s voice
People aren’t born listening or tuning in. Even the kings of the Old Testament had to learn to hear God’s voice.
Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes.
Deuteronomy 17:18-19 (NASB)
Listening to God’s voice begins with hearing what He says in His Word. The kings were instructed to memorize God’s law so that “his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel” (Deuteronomy 17:20).
Just as we tune a radio to catch a clear signal, they were to tune their hearts to God’s Word, so His voice would come through without static.
In other words, the king was to learn God’s law so that he would not think more of himself than he ought. He was still a person, no different from anyone else. The difference was his responsibility to lead, and the only way to lead well is to learn to listen to what God is saying.
I’ve read many different statistics about how many people we’ll influence in our lifetime. One reliable source (click here to read more) that each person, during his/her lifetime will influence 80,000 people. You may think that is no big deal, influencing others. However, influencing people is at the core of leadership. All of us, in one way or another, will lead. The question that needs answering is how do we want to lead?
Tune in. Learn to listen to God’s voice and your first step in hearing Him will be found as you spend time in His word. Below I’m adding a few resources you can check out to help you get into the Bible. Do it on purpose so when God asks, “What did I say?” You’ll be ready to answer Him.
Resources:
- I love the Olive Tree Bible reading app. There are free resources and Bible reading plans.
- YouVersion is another free Bible reading app. There are numerous resources in it, you are sure to find one that suits you.
- The One Year Bible is the first reading plan I used and it set me up for success, highly recommend!
