Listen, Really Listen

My husband is very ADHD.  He is very energetic and his mind goes ninety miles an hour at all times.  He hates interrupting people but often does.  He knows this fault and tells me all of the time that he wants to get better.  But if he is listening to someone speak and a thought jumps in his mind, he has to say it fast or forget it altogether.  I've mentioned to him about writing his thoughts down to go back to later, however, I do not believe he has tried it yet.   

While reading Our Daily Bread today, it spoke of this very thing.  "When I'm listening to a friend, I need to remind myself to focus on him, not to begin wondering how I look, what he thinks of me, what I should say next." 

This could very well be me.  How many times have I been listening to my kids tell me a story, but I am thinking, "goodness, how long is this story?"  Or listening to a friend speak and thinking, " Oh I hope I don't forget to ____" or "What do I say next?" 

"Let every man be swift to hear; slow to speak." James 1:19

I want to be slow to speak and quick to listen.  But I also want to pay attention.  I want to completely focus on what the other person is saying.  As a wife, we want our husbands to not just nod and say yes as they watch tv, but to give us eye contact and really pay attention to what we say.  We should be that way too.  We should put our full focus on the person speaking, whether it be a pastor giving a message, a child telling us an unending story, or a conversation with a friend.

Let's practice giving our full attention.  Being slow to speak and not letting our minds wander, but focus on the person speaking to us.

Sweet Blessings~