Two Ears and One Mouth

A few days ago, I received a phone call from someone asking my opinion about something.  I was trying to share some information with the person, and made one statement, that they didn't fully understand.  Instead of allowing me to explain my statement, they immediately became agitated and kept getting cut off during our talk.  The person wanted to debate everything after that, and really wouldn't let me get a word in edge wise.  My initial response was to become upset and try to "keep the floor" by speaking louder and faster.  But then I remembered something that I learned a while ago that helped me to change my perspective in this particular situation.  I remembered that I had two ears and only one mouth. 

Once I remembered that, I was able to calm myself down and listen to the other person's perspective. Granted, they gave me a perspective on what "they believed" to be true and then ended the conversation, believing that we had engaged in a fair exchange of knowledge (when I all I really said was hello)!  I went on about my merry way, thinking, how could I have made that conversation better.  What could I have done differently?

Well, I finally got my answer today!  That same person called me, and to my surprise, with an apology!  They said that they regretted they had not listened to me, as they were working on a project with another group for a college course.  The person stated that instead of disagreeing with me about the one statement that I made in our first conversation, they were quick to condemn me because my view wasn't their view.  They were thinking about the topic from an emotional standpoint, forgetting that in college coursework, a lot of time you have to have an objective point of view.  Another person in the course, whose project was about the same subject, did showcase a difference of opinion, but the student found scholarly articles to challenge the opposing point of view.  That person received a better grade than my friend, with a message from the instructor written on it in big red writing, "You have not supported your opinion with scholarly information, nor have you presented a difference of opinion, to show both sides of your argument!" 

My friend was given the opportunity by the instructor to do the assignment again, in an effort to try and get a better grade.  This time, SHE was the one who had to remember that she has two ears and one mouth for a reason.  While we are all experts on some subjects, we still have to be respectful, and listen to other points of view regarding that subject.  If we drown out what our two ears are hearing because we have an uncontrollable urge to use our mouth, we can miss out on some major blessing and we may not always get the chance to have a "do over"!