ONE RESPONSIBILITY OF HEARERS---GOOD LISTENING

By John A. Broadus

            We are willing to grant, if you insist on it, that there is not much good preaching; but we beg leave to remark that the proportion of good preachers is quite as great as the proportion of good listeners. It is evident that each will help the other. One great point of excellence in a preacher, especially to the restless hearers of the present day, will be that he is easy to listen to. There is no desire in this article to lessen the preacher’s responsibility in this respect. Let all preachers strive to be so clear, so sprightly, so earnest and magnetic, that men may hear with ease and pleasure and profit; nay, let them solemnly strive so to speak, in love of their hearers and in the fear of God, that men cannot choose but hear. Meantime, the hearers have also a great responsibility.

            Consider then some of the reasons why you should listen well.

            1. For your own sake. The Saviour spoke the parable of the sower for the express purpose of showing that the same word of the Gospel will produce no effect, a light or temporary effect, or a good effect in various degrees, exactly, according as it is properly heard; and his own application of the parable is, “Take heed therefore how ye hear.” The best preacher in the work, even Paul, even Jesus, has often been heard to no profit; and the very poorest preacher, provided he gives some grains of real gospel truth, may be so well heard as to do real good. Remember, O hearer, that this man in his weakness is trying to preach to us God’s Word of salvation. We shall not answer for his speaking. But we shall assuredly answer for our hearing.

            2. For the preacher’s sake. Demosthenes is reported to have said that eloquence resides as much in the ear as in the tongue. It is a great truth, and might well have been uttered by the greatest of orators. O, what a comfort it is to preach when all the people listen with all their hearts! Even a few very good listeners greatly help the preacher; even one who listens with full sympathy may sometimes save a sermon that would otherwise have utterly failed. And alas, even a few conspicuously bad listeners may render the preacher’s task almost helpless. When a new pastor is coming, or a visiting minister, people often wonder how they will like his preaching; it rarely occurs to them as a matter of interest, how he will like their listening. They ask one another afterward, “How did you like him?” Right seldom do they ask, “How do you suppose he liked us?” Let us always try to listen so well as to help the preacher.

            3. For the sake of other hearers. Few things are more promptly contagious than good or bad listening. One very bad listener will often annoy and hinder a large section of the congregation. And it is beautiful to observe how one deeply earnest listener will be gradually felt, more and more, in gently widening circles, by those around. Many people find it very hard to listen to preaching. They may be in bad health and low spirits, or consumed with cares. They may be sadly indifferent to the greatest thoughts and the highest things. If you listen well, that will make it a little easier for them to do likewise and how could you render them a greater kindness?

            4. For Christ’s own sake. He sends His servants to speak in His name the gospel of His salvation. He lays it as a burden of responsibility on their hearts that they must preach, in love to men and in love to Him. If they bring the real Gospel, and are at all in earnest, He speaks through them; and we should receive what they say, as being not simply the words of a fellow-man who seeks our good, but as in a just sense the Word of Christ. Surely he deserves to be heard.

            Good friend, suppose you lay to heart these reasons for listening well. Some other day we may try to indicate in what consists good listening.

            (Western Recorder, March, 1888).