Good Morning Friends,
“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone
should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s
anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” (James
1:19-20)
Someone once noted that man has two ears and
one mouth, so he ought to listen twice as much as he talks!
Our mouths often get us in trouble. We say
things that we shouldn’t have said and wish we wouldn’t have said. Things come
out in ways we did not mean. We say things without thinking how they will sound
to the person with whom we’re talking. James offers helpful advice -- be slow
to speak. Think before you speak. Only speak when you know that what you are
saying is what God wants you to say. Of course, that’s easier advice to give
than it is to follow.
Mixed with less talking should be more
listening. Listening is a developed skill that requires discipline. We often
find ourselves jumping to a conclusion about what the person is going to say
without taking the time to fully listen to them. Too often our conclusion is
wrong. We listen with only half our mind, using the other half to plot out our
reply. Half-listening often leads to half-understanding, you get part of what they
say but not all of it. Partial listening or not listening at all sends a
message to the person talking. It tells them that you don’t think what they are
saying is worth listening to. That’s not a very good way to build up a
relationship or encourage the person talking. James offers good advice that
will improve many of the relationships you have -- be quick to listen – be
disciplined when someone is talking to you to listen carefully to what they
say.
James offers one more bit of advice: be slow
to anger. Don’t fly off the handle. Don’t let
your anger get control of you, keep control
of it. That doesn’t mean you should never get angry. Jesus saw the injustice
and unrighteousness around Him and He got angry -- angry enough to drive people
out of the Temple with a whip! But His anger was controlled and expressed in
the way He wanted to express it. That’s the key -- control your anger and know
how to express it in appropriate, God-honoring ways!
His, by Grace,
Steve
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