From The Pastor’s Pen – By Brian Horrobin
The late MIT professor, Patrick Winston, gave an incredible lecture before his death in 2019, which has now been viewed more than five million times.
It was called, “How to Speak” and its lesson is a valuable one for our attention-deficit society of today.
Winston, who taught at MIT for almost 50 years, knew how to speak but his greater skill may have been how he was able to get others to listen.
Speaking on the “rule of engagement”, Winston had a simple, non-negotiable policy and it was this: when someone is speaking you turn off your laptop and your cell phone.
If you watch the lecture you will actually witness the late professor calling out a couple of his students who hadn’t quite caught on to what he was saying.
Listening to another person when they are speaking is not only a common courtesy but sends a clear signal, as well.
It says, “What you have to say is valuable and I will give you my undivided attention to hear your words.”
I have been busted so many times by my wife as I attempted to listen to her share something while also scrolling for sports scores.
Multi-tasking may be a virtue touted in some circles but it’s just plain rude when it interferes with our relationships.
James 1:19 offers some practical advice for us in this area: “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”
Joyce Meyer, in speaking about this verse, says there’s a good reason that the Lord gave us two ears and only one mouth!
Let’s give this subject some careful thought and practice our listening skills this week.
