Week #44 - 2-Minute Devotional w/ Omar Calvillo

“Listen Before You Speak” — Proverbs 18:13

In this week’s 2-Minute Devotional, Omar challenges us with a simple but life-changing truth: wisdom begins with listening. Proverbs 18:13 and James 1:19 remind us that reacting before hearing the full story leads to unnecessary conflict, while listening opens the door to love, understanding, and guidance from the Holy Spirit.

Before you respond… pause, pray, and listen.

From Wrong to Strong Ministries — real faith, real talk, real transformation.

Transcript

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Hello brothers and sisters. This is Omar Calvillo with From Wrong to Strong Ministries. With this week's two minute devotional, Proverbs 18:13 says to answer before listening, that is folly and shame. This is something a lot of us struggle with listening before speaking. It's easy to respond, react, and to try to fix things before we even hear the full story. But Proverbs 18:13 calls that folly, which basically means foolishness and also shame. That's a strong way of saying, slow down. Listen up. Listening is more than just being quiet while someone else talks. It's giving them your full attention, your heart, and your humility. The Bible shows us that listening is tied to wisdom. While speaking too quickly, leads to trouble. James 1:19 tells us everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. That's not just good advice. It's a Godly way to live because most of our mistakes in relationships, whether with God, family or friends, come from reacting before we fully understand. When we listen, before we speak, we give room for the Holy Spirit to guide our response instead of our emotions. We begin to hear not just the words people are saying, but the heart behind them. That's how healing begins through understanding not assumptions. The same is true in our walk with the Lord. Too often we rush into prayer, talk about what we want, and say Amen! Before we ever stop to listen. But if you look at scripture, every man and woman used by God had to first learn to listen. Samuel said, speak Lord, for your servant is listening 1 Samuel 3:10, Jesus himself often withdrew to lonely places not to preach or perform miracles. But to listen to his father, Luke 15:16. When we stop talking and start listening, we open the door for God to speak peace into our storms direction, into our confusion and correction, into our pride. Silence in God's presence is not weakness, it's wisdom, and when it comes to our relationships at home, at work, or even in ministry, listening shows love. It communicates you matter. When someone feels heard, their heart starts to open up. Proverbs 18:2 says, fools find no pleasure in understanding, but delight in airing their own opinions. In other words, a fool loves to talk, but the wise love to understand. Listening doesn't mean you agree. With everything being said. It means you value the person enough to hear them out. That's how bridges are built. That's how broken trust gets restored. Today, Maybe God is reminding us to slow down. Before you answer that text, before you jump into that argument, before you react in frustration, PAUSE, PRAY, LISTEN! Ask God to help you hear not only what's being said, but what he's trying to teach you through it. Because sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do. Is close your mouth and open your ears. Listening before speaking is more than good manners. It's spiritual maturity. It honors God, it values people, and it protects us from foolish words we can't take back. So the next time you're tempted to speak too soon. Remember wise men listen, fools react. Let's be people who listen with love, respond with grace, and walk with wisdom. Stay encouraged. Stay humble and stay listening. God bless you, my friends, my name is Omar Calvillo, and I am wrong, too strong.