“A fool does not delight in understanding, but only wants to show off his opinions.” (Proverbs 18:2)
Each day, we have lots of conversations with family, our friends and coworkers, and people we meet for the first time. Each of these conversations is an opportunity to witness to those we are talking with, both by word and by how we carry ourselves. It’s an opportunity to act wisely or foolishly. Which will you choose, and what does Solomon tell us about how we can act wisely in each conversation we have?
Solomon says that the fool does not delight in understanding; rather, he just wants to show off his opinions. What does this look like practically in conversations?
- Listening to another person just to be able to refute them.
- Not being intentional and “tuning out” when someone is talking to you.
- Caring more about being right than understanding and loving the person you are talking to.
It is so easy to do these things, especially when we talk with disagreeable people, or talk about very heated subjects. But as Christians, we are called to pursue wisdom and “walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received (Eph. 4:1). How can we do this?
In conversations you have with others, be intentional and listen! Listen well and intently, not just so you can refute the other person, but so that you express care for the person you are talking to and can understand where they are coming from. You can follow with your own viewpoints but seek to listen first and listen well. Ask God to give you patience, concern, and His heart towards the people you talk with today.
In addition to being able to love others by listening, by listening well and delighting in understanding, we are better equipped to share the Gospel with others. Before Paul went to address the Areopagus, he delighted in understanding the “Men of Athens” and their deeply held convictions, so that he was able to boldly proclaim the Gospel in a way that was understandable to them, and by God’s grace, lead people to follow the one true God. Today, ask God to help you delight in understanding others, and as a result, gain a greater love for those people and a greater desire to see them reconciled to Christ!