I will listen to what God will say; surely the Lord will declare peace to his people, his faithful ones, and not let them go back to foolish ways. —Psalm 85:8
Those who would speak should first listen, especially where God’s Word is concerned. It’s not only accuracy that is forfeited when we are too quick to speak, though “correctly teaching the word of truth” is a must but also humility and credibility.
To put it simply, we need to hear what God would say to us before we take it upon ourselves to be His spokesman to others.
When placed in any role that gives us spiritual influence on others, whether as a parent, spouse, teacher, ministry leader, discipler, or mentor, the importance of hearing from the Lord before attempting to speak for Him cannot be overstated. It should sober us to realize that someone may actually act upon our advice or counsel . . . and sober us even more to realize they may follow our example.
Make it Personal
Who are the credible God-hearers and truth-speakers in your life? Thank God for them today.