Speak Before You Think? I Think Not!

One of the regular tasks I have in my career is to work with 7th and 8th grade students, teaching them about some of the more important components of the Christian faith.  As part of our classes together, we spend a good deal of time reading the Bible and simply trying to figure out what it says.

Every once in a while, we will finish reading a section of the Bible, and I will ask the students what they just read.  It always amazes me when they give an answer that is completely unrelated to the Bible reading we just completed.  I really try to stress to them that pre-packaged answers, given without thought, do no one any good.

Yet, I have experienced that more than just in working with these young people.  I am constantly amazed at how few people really seem to think before they speak.  There seems to be an amazing lack of discipline when it comes to putting thoughts into words.  I've been part of conversations that seem to go all over the place, with no rhyme or reason on how the person got to the next subject.  Yes, I recognize that we all make some kind of connection with our thoughts in our mind, but that seems to be exactly the thing that I'm talking about.  It seems that we should think about that thought, and its place in the conversation, rather than just blurting it out.

In fact, I would dare say that mental discipline begins with the skill of listening.  Our society and culture has become much more oriented toward speaking rather than listening.  Developing the discipline of listening to what the other person says is one of the first steps toward building a greater mental discipline.

Today, when you find yourself in conversation with others, I suggest that you listen intently to what they are saying, and then focus the conversation on what they are talking about, and not the brilliant idea or thought that just popped into your head.  I truly believe that the first step of developing greater mental discipline is simply to listen to the other person, and then, to follow their lead.  Try it, and if you'd like to share your experience, I would love to listen to you and hear all about it!