You don’t have to hear people the way they want you too. You actually get to choose what type of “thing” you’re going to hear.

If someone gives you a complement, you can decide to hear it as a comment rather than flattery.

if someone criticises you, you can choose to hear it as advice to take into account.

if someone gives you an instruction or even a direct command, you can choose to hear it as a price of advice to consider.

This ability to choose what type of communication your hearing is very powerful. And like most powerful things, can be used poorly and well. Be wary of the fool who doesn’t hear a rebuke and take it to heart. Long to be Christians who hear the gospel word not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God.