By: Szu Mao; Translated By: Evnlyn Lee（林一華）
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“Listening” is a two-ways street, when we listen we must show that we care and we are interested in what he/she has to say. Only then, we can win the cooperation and trust of the persons we come in contact with.
A saying impressed me. “The difficulty of communication is often caused by the problem of listening”. We all think that any time we can listen to the words of others, why do we have to learn to “listen”? Actually, it is not difficult to listen to a content of a conversation, but the real ability to listen and the power of understanding affects human relationship. Many people do not possess the ability to listen and do not have the habit of good and effective listening which then causes misunderstanding and even causes a broken relationship. In some worse cases, excellent opportunities slipped away because of poor understanding.
There was a lecturer in Kentucky; he was an associate manager of a software computer company. He shared his “listening” experience which makes us realize the importance of effective listening. His company was reorganizing and as a result many people left their posts. He was the only one the company asked to stay and also promoted him to an associate manager. How did he do it? He said good and effective listening was the merit to his promotion.
One day, in a relaxed atmosphere, he asked his boss who was a foreigner, “Why did you ask me to stay and promoted me”? The boss smiled and said, ” When I first entered the company and I conducted my first luncheon meeting, majority of the employees, during my speech were paying more attention to food than to me. I discovered you were the only one who lifted up your head and paid attention to me. At that very moment, I know you were the one who could communicate effectively. Thus you had the ability to lead, that was the reason why I promoted you”. This lecturer was surprise to find a casual act of habit could produce such a result. If a supervisor paid such an emphasis on listening from the department personnel, then the department personnel should mind more the way the supervisor listened.
After all, we should learn to listen effectively, so people know that we totally understand how he/she feels. This makes our communication more attractive. ” Listening” is a two-ways street, we must show the speaker that we care and we are interested in what he/she had to say. Only then, we can win the cooperation and trust of the people we come in contact with.
In the Bible, the author of the book of James paid a great deal of attention to the “art of listening”. A good relationship is built upon a “good Listener” because a good listening generates strength and action. In Hebrew, listening and action are closely connected. Action comes from listening. How you act depends on how you listen. I think this was why the lecturer was asked to stay in the company and also was promoted.
The author of the book of James said, ” ….Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry……” (James 1:19) We should be quick to listen, and listen properly, and understand well. Then he went one to say, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive you. Do what it says”. (James1:22) Acting on the words comes from listening to the words, and therefore, learn to listen properly and you will act properly.
From this angle, if a Christian does not have the ability to serve and act, can it be the problem of his/her ability to listen?
Successful people have two components of personal power: taking responsibility of good listening and taking action. Do you know why Samuel became well known in the history of the Jews? The reason was that ever since he was young, he learned to listen to the sound form the earth and from the heaven and also discerned the difference between them. (See 1 and 2 Samuel in the Bible)
Rev. Szuhsing Mao 卯思興牧師 
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