Nigerians and Our Inability to Listen

by Deji Yesufu

I teach Bible Study at church every Sunday and therefore I should be at the preparatory class that is held at church on Thursday evenings. I must say that since joining this group, my understanding of Christian fellowship has blossomed. I wish to state here that those who kick against going to church, in their campaign against pastors and churches, are doing their souls great evil. There is a blessing when Christians sit and discuss, especially when such discussions centre on the Bible.

The Bible Study preparatory class is for two hours. Our coordinator ensures that at most 90 minutes of that time is dedicated to discussions, debates and questions on the text. Everyone is at liberty to speak. We have people in their 80s and we have young students in their early 20s. It is such a blessing.

We have been studying the book of Exodus at church Bible Study. We had looked at Exodus 25, where God began to speak to Moses in a lengthy discuss that will not end until chapter 31. A brother then pointed us to the fact of Moses listening throughout as God reeled out instructions on the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness and other issues. He then asked: have we ever wondered at how difficult it is to listen? He said that it is easier to talk than to listen to others.

Then another brother made a point. He said that during his trip to South Africa he discovered that about the first lessons Nigerians learn is the ability to listen. He said that usually when you see a loud and boisterous fellow in public, that person is very likely a Nigerian and it is possible he just arrived. He said with time, Nigerians realize that they are not as smart as they think. That the people who are not talking, have chosen not to talk, not for want of what to say but because they have learnt to listen to others.

For a person like me that is naturally sanguine in nature, that was very instructive.

There is a blessing in listening to others. At the close of the day, one learns a great deal listening than rattling off all that one knows. And if one were to speak, the wisdom gathered by listening to others will inform the wisdom in the words that one will finally speak with.

So, listen...

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1579634075446130&id=1505609702848568

Seun, Lalasticlala

VBCampaign:
Nigerians and Our Inability to Listen

by Deji Yesufu

I teach Bible Study at church every Sunday and therefore I should be at the preparatory class that is held at church on Thursday evenings. I must say that since joining this group, my understanding of Christian fellowship has blossomed. I wish to state here that those who kick against going to church, in their campaign against pastors and churches, are doing their souls great evil. There is a blessing when Christians sit and discuss, especially when such discussions centre on the Bible.

The Bible Study preparatory class is for two hours. Our coordinator ensures that at most 90 minutes of that time is dedicated to discussions, debates and questions on the text. Everyone is at liberty to speak. We have people in their 80s and we have young students in their early 20s. It is such a blessing.

We have been studying the book of Exodus at church Bible Study. We had looked at Exodus 25, where God began to speak to Moses in a lengthy discuss that will not end until chapter 31. A brother then pointed us to the fact of Moses listening throughout as God reeled out instructions on the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness and other issues. He then asked: have we ever wondered at how difficult it is to listen? He said that it is easier to talk than to listen to others.

Then another brother made a point. He said that during his trip to South Africa he discovered that about the first lessons Nigerians learn is the ability to listen. He said that usually when you see a loud and boisterous fellow in public, that person is very likely a Nigerian and it is possible he just arrived. He said with time, Nigerians realize that they are not as smart as they think. That the people who are not talking, have chosen not to talk, not for want of what to say but because they have learnt to listen to others.

For a person like me that is naturally sanguine in nature, that was very instructive.

There is a blessing in listening to others. At the close of the day, one learns a great deal listening than rattling off all that one knows. And if one were to speak, the wisdom gathered by listening to others will inform the wisdom in the words that one will finally speak with.

So, listen...

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1579634075446130&id=1505609702848568

Seun, Lalasticlala

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak...
-James 1:19

God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason
Follow that ratio.
Listen more, talk less.

Thanks for for VBCampaign. The Jews were very adept at studying the Torah in this way, and in my opinion, it is the form of studying (believers might say, 'worship'), that has made them the formidable group of people that they are.

I myself studied the Gospel according to Luke in this same manner - "discussions, debates and questions on the text", with "everyone at liberty to speak" - and while it did not make me a believer, I learnt quite a lot from the study such that I felt like I went with a fishhead and came away with a whole fish and a loaf of bread.

I went on a study of the Quran and have been in a book reading club that ran on the same format and both have been of immense benefit. There's is no better way to demonstrate that the Kingdom of God is within everyone, as opposed to it only being in the one telling everyone what to believe.

It is incidentally a common format used for learning at uni too incidentally.

budaatum:
Thanks for for VBCampaign. The Jews were very adept at studying the Torah in this way, and in my opinion, it is the form of studying (believers might say, 'worship'), that has made them the formidable group of people that they are.

I myself studied the Gospel according to Luke in this same manner - "discussions, debates and questions on the text", with "everyone at liberty to speak" - and while it did not make me a believer, I learnt quite a lot from the study such that I felt like I went with a fishhead and came away with a whole fish and a loaf of bread.

I went on a study of the Quran and have been in a book reading club that ran on the same format and both have been of immense benefit. There's is no better way to demonstrate that the Kingdom of God is within everyone, as opposed to it only being in the one telling everyone what to believe.

It is incidentally a common format used for learning at uni too incidentally.

The church, you may need to know is The Chapel of The Resurrection, University of Ibadan.