What Did You Say?
(S) Scripture
James 1:19-20 (NIV)
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
(O) Observation
James is kind of the Proverbs of the New Testament. He uses many short pithy sayings that grab our attention and teach us how to live Godly lives. Here he says we are to be quick to listen slow to speak and slow to anger.
(A) Application
Most of us are enamored with the sound of our own voices that we talk too much. Even in a conversation instead of listening we are forming our next sentences. In this passage James instructs us to listen more and speak less. Someone said that is why God gave you two ears and one mouth, so you would listen twice as much as you speak. I find that the more I listen to someone the less likely I am to get angry. I find that listening goes beyond hearing words to seeing the person and their circumstances. This does not say there is never a time for anger but we shouldn't go there first or quickly. Today I must focus on listening more and talking less. I want people to know that I care about them and that God cares about them. That cannot happen when I talk too much or jump to anger.
(P) Prayer
Lord, put your arm around my shoulder and you hand over my mouth. Teach me to listen more and talk less. Develop in me a calm spirit that is slow to anger and quick to show love. Amen
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