LISTEN AND SEE

December 21, 2015

Listen and See
Our Daily Devotions

Proverbs 20:12 KJV
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.

Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
All our powers and faculties are from God and are to be employed for Him.

Miyagi’s commentary:
Since God created our eyes, ears, lips, hands and feet, we must use all these faculties to serve Him.  None of them belongs to us.  All of it belongs to Him.  He owns us.  Therefore, He can use us as He chooses.

A person who is observant and listens carefully is wise.  He is slow to speak.  James 1:19 tells us:

“Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving];”

Thus, to listen carefully and to be observant is a good thing.  This is wisdom.   Beware. of the person who talks excessively and is unable to listen carefully

Notes taken from The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee (156-157)
Carnal believers bear a common stamp-talkativeness. Few should be their words, they know, but they are goaded into endless discussion by their excited emotion. They lack self-control in speech; once their mouth is open. Their mind seems to lose all control. Words pour forth like an avalanche. Now the soulish Christian realizes he should not be long-winded, but somehow he is unable to withdraw once the conversation gains momentum. Then thoughts of all kinds swiftly invade the conversation, precipitating a continual shift in topic and an unfailing replenishment in words. And "when words are many, transgression is not lacking" says Proverbs 10.1.9. For the result will be either the loss of control through much speaking, the loss of peace through argument, or even the loss of love through criticism because secretly and hypocritically they will judge others who are loquacious and deem it most unbecoming in them. Fully aware that flippancy does not become the saint, the carnal person still loves to talk frivolously and bankers to speak and to hear coarse jests. Or he may go in for vivacious and gay conversations, which he simply cannot afford to miss, no matter what. Although at times he does abhor such impious or unprofitable talk, it is not for long; for when the emotion is stirred once again he automatically returns to his favorite old pastime.

Miyagi’s Summary conclusion:
We gain more understanding when we are observant and listen well.  It is difficult to learn when one talks excessively.  Too often, when a person is unable to stop talking, it reflects the true condition of his heart.  He may be in sin.   Therefore, the saying goes,

“It is better to be quiet and have people think you are a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubts.”

Miyagi

Work Cited

Nee, Watchman.  The Spiritual Man  Christian Fellowship Publishers, Inc: New York 1977.

Matthew Henry Concise Commentary on Proverbs 20:12

Miyagi’s commentary