Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. James 1:22-24 

Are you a good listener? Do you truly process and listen to what another person is saying? If we’re not careful, our social habits can become our spiritual habits. When we are poor listeners socially, we become poor listeners when it comes to the things that God is speaking to us. If we’re just looking for statements we can share on Twitter, we will become desensitized to the Word of God. God’s Word contains transforming power. If you would just listen to what God is saying to you, it could change you from the inside out.

Good listening skills are reflected in the way we respond, and in how we act. Are you mirroring the other person and repeating back to them what they speak to you? Are you taking the time to pause and process their words before responding? Are you posturing yourself in a way that assures the other person that you are listening to and soaking in whatever it is they are saying? 

What about when God speaks to you? Do you repeat His words over yourself? Do you act upon them? Do you allow His word to really get into your heart and change the way you act and respond to Him?

God’s Word has the power to transform you so that the fruit of His word in your life can become evident to those who look at you. You won’t just be talking about the things of God, but you’ll actually be living it out as your words live up to your actions. Change the way you listen, and you’ll change the way you act.