My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires ( James 1: 19-20)
When meditating and reflecting on the above scripture several key points came to mind:
- Be quick to listen.
The above verse encourages us to cultivate a godly character that yields righteousness, a quality highly valued by God. It emphasizes the importance of being attentive and quick to listen. As we navigate our earthly journey, we are called to express love to one another, and an essential aspect of this is having a receptive and empathetic ear to lend to others.
Furthermore, we must attune our ears to the voice of the One who has sent us to this earth. We must exhibit a readiness to promptly obey His guidance. This entails keeping our spiritual ears keen and responsive so that we can promptly heed His instructions. Delayed responses to His guidance can result in missing out on significant seasons and pivotal moments in our lives.
2. Be slow to speak.
It is equally important for us to exercise caution and thoughtfulness in our speech, being slow to express our thoughts. This means we should carefully select the words we utter. Not everything we perceive, sense, or feel needs to be vocalized. Despite the prevalent culture of self-expression in today’s world, the Bible advises us against impulsively sharing every thought in our minds. Proverbs 10:19 warns that an abundance of words often leads to transgression, but one who exercises restraint in speech demonstrates prudence. Excessive talking can lead to falsehoods and, consequently sinful behaviour. However, when we practice self-restraint and limit the number of words we speak, we can cultivate prudence in our communication.
Likewise, when we engage in dialogue with God, it’s crucial for us to discern His voice and be deliberate in our response. In those moments, we should adopt a stance of being slow to speak and instead, allow Him to communicate. Learning to be still and using fewer words while actively listening to what He has to impart is essential in our relationship with God. This practice facilitates a more profound connection and a greater understanding of His guidance and wisdom.
3. Be slow to become angry.
It’s imperative that we exhibit patience and restraint in the face of anger. Swift anger can misrepresent the character of God and overshadow the other positive traits we possess in the eyes of those who have yet to know Christ. Reacting with quick anger does not align with promoting God’s righteous intentions on Earth. Instead, we are called to exercise patience, reflect on our emotions, and extend forgiveness rather than reacting with rage. This approach helps to reflect God’s love and grace in our interactions with others.
Indeed, Proverbs 14:17 wisely reminds us that “A man of quick temper acts foolishly.” This verse highlights the folly of responding with rapid anger, highlighting the importance of remembering that we are ambassadors of Christ. Instead, we should approach every situation with patience, a forgiving heart, and love. Such an approach leads to the manifestation of righteousness that aligns with Christ’s standard of behaviour. God expects us to be effective representatives of Him wherever we go, demonstrating His character through our actions and reactions.
Similarly, Ecclesiastes 5:2 emphasizes the importance of not being hasty in our speech, particularly when addressing God. It reminds us that God resides in heaven while we reside on Earth, highlighting the need for caution and restraint in our words. This verse advises us to keep our words minimal and thoughtful when communicating with God, recognizing the reverence and humility that should accompany our dialogue with the Creator.
In summary, in our interactions with others and in our self-reflection, it is essential to cultivate the Kingdom habit of:
- Being quick to listen (attentive and receptive to others)
- Being slow to speak (thoughtful and discerning in our words)
- Being slow to become angry (practising patience, self-reflection, and compassion)
Prayer:
- Lord, give me listening hearts to hear and listen to others- to listen clearly to your voice and to your word when spoken to me.
- Lord, help me to be quick to hear. Help me to be a careful and thoughtful listener
- Lord, help me to be slow to speak. Help me to be a speaker of carefully chosen words
- Lord help me to be slow to become angry. Help me to be patient, reflective and forgiving.
- Lord, help me not to be rash with my mouth, not let my heart be hasty to utter a word before you Lord.
- Lord, help me to fear that you are my God in heaven and I am on earth. Help my words be few but yet powerful and impactful that changes lives for the good!
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