James 1:19-21
Audio file is at the end of this text.
Here's advice that can turn failure to success, frustration to peace and strained relationships to happy ones. James writes:
"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and
slow to become angry, because anger does not
produce the righteousness that God desires."
The Message translation of this passage says:
"Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue,
and let anger straggle along in the rear.
God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger."
Imagine listening more than you speak! Listening is hard for most people as most of us are selfish and we're thinking about our own problems or what we are going to say next as we "pretend" to listen to others. When we listen, we are demonstrating that we truly care about the other person. After listening carefully, we are in position to be helpful and encouraging to the other person. Also, when we listen we learn.
James is not saying that we should not speak, he is saying that speaking should only follow a time of listening and learning from others.
Getting angry over silly things like having to wait as a train passes is a complete waste of energy. And, getting angry at the people in your life over silly little mistakes is unproductive. However, there is a time to get angry.
The leadership at Penn State should have been furious when they learned about a coach abusing young boys. But, no one got angry. Everyone who knew anything about the reports pretended the evil deeds never happened. Joe Paterno should have listened carefully to all of the facts then turned the guilty man over to the police so the legal system could do its work. It is morally wrong to abuse children and we have laws in this country to protect children from predators. Sadly, no one at Penn State got angry enough to protect the children. Of course we are to get angry but come to it slowly and carefully.
How do we keep ourselves in the mindset to listen a lot and speak a little and get angry only over the big things? Verse 21 says, "Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."
Immerse yourself in the word of God. Read it, think about it, memorize it, hang around others who do this and you'll have what you need. Putting into practice these three verses alone will save you from much heartache and pain.
