James 1:19 (KJV)
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Life will is beautiful when we follow God’s wisdom for living. God, the author of life has prescribed to us the very best approaches to living a full and meaningful life here on earth. The challenge is that we do not often follow His revealed approach to life nor do we allow the Holy Spirit always to guide us in the way we should go.
The call here is that we should be quick to listen and may I clarify that God is not saying you should be quick listen to gossip or be quick to open your ears to unproductive and ungodly conversations. No, the call is that in comparison to speaking we should be more prune listening and giving more attention to hearing what people are saying especially to those things that are good, pure, holy, wholesome, productive, and edifying.
Listen to understand before speaking. Listen to learn before answering back. Listen to gain wisdom before becoming a counselor to others. Listen to the voice of God before complaining and murmuring. Listen to people before judging them. When we listen, we grow in understanding and wisdom. One of the greatest challenges of life is that most of us have something to say at all times. Listening is one way you bestow honor and give respect to people.
Be slow to speak is a piece of advice that if we abide by it, most of the problems of life will be avoided. Think about it, how many people are in trouble today because of their mouths? What they say and how they say it. How many things are ruined because we never took the time to listen and understand before we spoke. Marriages, relationships, careers, and families have come to ruins because someone couldn’t hold back their tongue. Brethren one of the hallmarks of maturity is being able to exercise self-control over one’s mouth.
When we have grown in these areas, the results will be amazing. It will ultimately impact us so profoundly that we will not be seen being angry at every slightest thing that happens. Quick temper and wrath are a sign of immaturity and it demonstrates one’s inability to be self-controlled. God wants us to be fruitful and we cannot afford to be ruled by anger and lack of self-discipline or self-control.
So I employ you that these three essential elements of life guide you:
- Quick to listen.
- Slow to speak.
- Slow to anger.
And your fruitfulness will be obvious to all.
Shalom,
Apostle Morgan.