Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1:19-20
We parade and celebrate those who are good speakers. We pay money to hear them and often allow their words to guide our lives. Thousands gather to hear the words of those gifted in communication. But, how many people are known for being good listeners? How do we celebrate them?
In many ways, it seems that the art of listening has been lost in our culture. According to James, this seems to be a timeless issue for humanity.
Needing to remind the church of the importance of listening, he instructs us to be “quick to hear.” Notice that God’s invitation through James isn’t to weigh how much you speak against how much you listen, with those who listen longest receiving some sort of reward. He invites us to listen quickly.*
Have you noticed how easily it comes to speak quickly especially when angry? It seems that James makes this connection as well as he notes the importance of being slow to speak and slow to anger.* This isn’t just a lesson on manners, however.
God informs us through James that anger does not bring the righteousness of God.* Meaning, if we want to see people acting rightly (including ourselves), being quick to speak and quick to anger will not get us there.* Maybe, just maybe, being quick to hear will.
Listening first helps us to navigate feelings and situations where boundaries have been crossed and feelings have been hurt. Being slow to anger keeps us open to logical thinking and open to the perspective of others. These things help in navigating conflict. More than that, however, being quick to listen to God and holding our heart open to His perspective changes everything,
There is much that I want to see change in the world around me. There is much in the people that I love that I want to see grow and change. When I don’t see these things change, it can cause angst in my soul that some might call anger (because it is anger, but I don’t want to admit it). This anger doesn’t make things right. Listening to God and holding off on being angry might just bring the change that we want to see.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to slow down by quickly listening. Perhaps God wants you to see His righteousness come by His means. Perhaps today God wants you to be a part of His righteousness blossoming in people’s lives by listening first and speaking second. Maybe today God wants you to celebrate a good listener.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Blomberg, C. L., & Kamell, M. J. (2008). James (Vol. 16, pp. 85–86). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. H. (2006). James. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, pp. 225). Zondervan.
Stulac, G. M. (1993). James (Jas 1:19–20). IVP Academic.
Moo, D. J. (2021). The Letter of James (D. A. Carson, Ed.; Second Edition, pp. 108–111). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Nystrom, D. P. (1997). James (pp. 89–92). Zondervan Publishing House.