Wash His Feet, Day 9: Listen to Him
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Note: Today’s post is part of the Write 31 Days challenge. You can find the introduction and links to the posts in this series right here.
Are you a good listener? I’m not. I hate admitting that, but there’s no denying that I’m often so lost in thought that I frequently have to ask others to repeat themselves. While I’m trying to grow in this area, I kind of feel like I’m not making much headway at times! This is definitely an area where I need help.
Learning to listen is a valuable skill. It shows that you’re interested in what others have to say. It’s a small way to show selflessness. And it can be a huge help in communicating well.
With all that in mind, today’s assignment is straightforward:
Listen to your husband.
Don’t just smile and nod as he talks, but really listen well - taking in what he’s saying, processing what he’s speaking about, and responding authentically to what he’s sharing.
I’ve heard it said over and over that guys typically don’t communicate well and that they don’t like talking nearly as much as women do. But I have to wonder if our husbands would speak up more if we improved our listening skills and truly valued what they have to say.
Learning to listen to our husband offers us several benefits. It can help us:
Better appreciate him
Better understand his point of view
We love it when others listen to us, acknowledging and evaluating what we have to say. It makes us feel appreciated and supported. The same is true of our husbands. If we’re not actively listening to what they want to share with us, it’s a sign that we’re not valuing them the way we need to be.
Years ago, Jon and I needed a new-to-us car. Finances were tight, and I wanted to get another small, 5-passenger vehicle to replace our dying sedan. But Jon felt that with three growing spark plugs, a larger one would serve our needs better, and after going over the budget, we could just squeeze in the extra cost. I wasn’t very happy about the bigger purchase, but I listened to him and acknowledged that his points were valid. And so we bought the vehicle he wanted.
Just a year after getting that 8-passenger car, we found out that Baby D was on his way, a surprise blessing we never saw coming. Had I insisted that we get the smaller car I had wanted, we would have had to get yet another vehicle in order to have enough seats for all of us!
So yes, even when you disagree with your spouse, listen to him. Consider his input. He may have wisdom to offer that you wouldn’t have thought about on your own.
You and your husband are meant to be a team. By listening to him, not only are you showing him respect, but you’re also strengthening your marriage. Ecclesiastes 4:9 is absolutely right when it says that two are better than one!
