All Ears?

TOPIC: Understanding

SCRIPTURE: "Also Jonathan, David's uncle, was a counselor, a man of understanding, and a scribe;..." (I Chronciles 27:32)

OBSERVATION: As you come to the end of Chapter 27 you come across a list of David's Officials, included in that list is one of David's relatives, his uncle Jonathan. From this passage we discover several things about him:

#1.) He was one of David's Officials
#2.) He was David's Uncle
#3.) He was a counselor
#4.) He was a man of understanding
#5.) He was a scribe

APPLICATION: In my reading today, the phrase that grabbed my attention was, he was "a man of understanding". As I read that, my mind when straight to an earlier reading about "the sons of Issachar, men who understood their times, with knowledge of what Israel should do..." (I Chron.12:32) Their knowledge and judgement provided the much needed help in making decisions for their nation.

Understanding Has Prerequisites :

I'll just touch on one = Listening

To Listen = means to hear with understanding

We all exercise selective hearing at times
BUT
To be a person of understanding
We'll have to fight against that temptation

I don't know about you
but for me
Being understood is important

I heard a great statement once that says,
"I know what I am saying,
BUT I don't know what you are hearing.'


Ever been misunderstood?

Maybe it's because you didn't take time
to fully engage your listening skills

To understand = means to know or be able to explain to yourself the nature of somebody or something, or the meaning or cause of something, to recognize somebody's character or somebody's situation, especially in a sympathetic, tolerant, or empathetic way

If you have not done the difficult work of listening &
gathering as much information as you possibly can

You will not be able to accurately :
Realize what's really going on with...
Be aware of...

Grasp the importace of ...


Take everything in regarding...
Recognize the real meaning of...


Read between the lines of...

Empathize with...
Get the complete picture of...

Absorb all the details related to...

Figure out...
Catch on to...

Get the real message behind...

See all sides of...
Track the direction of...


&


One day

You may be placed like Jonathan in a position of influence

AND IF

You are not all ears

You will NOT be able to accurately,
comprehend the times like the men of Issachar

Remember
Your insight
just might
change the course
of someone's
eternity

Comprendo?



PRAYER: Father God, help me to do what I need to do, to become and remain a man of understanding