Hey there, fellow communication connoisseurs!
Today, we’re diving into the wild world of words with a heavenly twist:
19Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
James 1:19–20 (NLT)
James 1:19 advises us to be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” It sounds like solid advice, right? But wait, there’s more! James isn’t just dishing out general life tips; he’s guiding Christians on how to wholeheartedly live out their faith, especially when life throws us curveballs (and not the fun, baseball kind).
When facing trials, it’s easy to become a chatterbox focused solely on our own problems. Our listening skills might take a backseat, and our anger might hitch a ride up front. But let’s face it, nobody wants to be stuck in a car with an angry driver.
So, how can we steer our conversations with a Christ-like attitude, even when the road gets bumpy?
First, let’s be “quick to listen.” As believers, we need to turn up the volume of our empathy and tune into what others are saying. Trust us, your relationships will thank you (and maybe even give you a standing ovation).
Next, let’s practice being “slow to speak.” Before your inner Shakespeare takes the stage, pause and ask yourself if your words are in harmony with God’s love and truth. Sometimes the best response is a simple nod, a knowing smile, or a well-timed “mm-hmm.”
Lastly, let’s work on being “slow to become angry.” When anger starts revving its engine, take a pit stop and seek God’s wisdom in prayer. With a little divine guidance, you’ll be cruising down the highway of grace, patience, and humility in no time.
By embracing these Christ-like attitudes in our conversations, we can grow in our faith, develop stronger relationships, and turn our spiritual road trips into enjoyable, meaningful journeys—even during detours and flat tires.
Which aspect of James’ advice do you find most challenging during bumpy times, and how can you invite God’s GPS to help you navigate?
This is what stuck out to me on Sunday( quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger) there’s many times I struggle with this because I have a bad temper or I’m always on the fast lane. I seem to do everything to fast or I feel as if I don’t have enough time. So I need to slow down when I need to and ask God, I pray that you guide me to be your highway of grace, patience, and humility to that I may spread your loves to those around me.
The part of James’ advice I find most challenging is being slow to anger. This is hard for me because I tend to lean toward the side of justice or problem solving in arguments and I also can become frustrated due to impatience. But I have found verse 20 to be the most motivating for me to follow this advice as I have seen just how terribly things can go when humans become angry and follow their own desires. Therefore I strive hard to always remember and follow this verse because I have found it to be so true in life.
The remaining competitors in your team are Buu, Charles, John, Lucky, Mike
In all honesty, I have had difficulty with all of these. I’ve not always been very quick to listen, slow to speak, nor slow to anger😔 I have come to learn the value of all of them though. I’ve often used the two verses from today’s reflections at times when I found myself behaving otherwise. It’s interesting, one benefit of 12 step meetings that many people may not know is the way in which it helps us practice being “quick to listen and slow to speak.” Over the years, I’ve found myself sitting in a meeting, just waiting for my turn to talk instead of listening to what others are saying. Practicing these principles has been a great benefit to me in learning how to listen to others. As for being “slow to wrath,” I suppose that typically, failure to adhere to this stems from my own pride and ego as well. Often times I need to take a look at where the anger is coming from, and more often then not, it is no more than hurt pride😏 In these times, it is essential for me to pray, and to remember that “the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
During bumpy times, I find it harder to embrace the trait of slow to anger since lately ive become quite short but im actively working at it and I can say its getting better. I can ask God to help by reminding me of the verse that goes “do not let the sun go down on you in your anger” and thats convicting for me especially because I know things could get out of hand real quick for me. Praying that I would hold on to this command and live with a better than I am right now
James has great advice when it comes to being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Lately, I struggle with all three, especially at work. When I take time to spend in God’s Word and prayer He renews my thinking and gives me peace. Being still before Him helps me to slow down, breathe, focus on what truly matters, and let go of what I can’t control.