dumbo listening

Dumbo the Elephant from the popular Disney cartoon featured an elephant who could fly because of his amazingly large elephant ears. In a world filled with constant noise, it’s hard at times to hear people where they are. With controversial topics like race, We Christians tend to disregard the need for listening. The truth of the matter is that we should practice “dumbo listening.” What do I mean? I mean that our ears should be so big that they overshadow everything else, including our mouths.

James 1:19 tells us that “everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” If it were me, I would have said we should be sloooooooooooooowww to speak and sloooooooooooooooowww to become angry. Dumbo listening means you shut up and let others talk. The art of listening is a skill that often goes undervalued. But we see how much it’s emphasized in Scripture. Proverbs 18:13 tells us that to answer before listening brings folly and shame.

Incorporating the practice of listening into our daily lives and into the discussion of Racial Unity can transform our relationships, our understanding, and our Church. By following the biblical principles of listening, we open ourselves up to a deeper connection with God and with each other. Let us strive to be the type of (dumbo) listeners God is calling for us to be.