Listen!

 

James 1:19 NLT

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

 

In Christ, we’re all one big spiritual family. We’re all siblings, adopted by our Father God through faith in Jesus. We need to understand how we ought to function as God’s family.

 

Firstly, we must be quick to listen. A famous quote says that we’ve got twice as many ears as mouths, so we should listen twice as much as we speak! Most of us find it hard to listen, and if we do, we listen to respond, rather than listen to understand and appreciate where the other person’s coming from.

 

Secondly, we should be slow to speak. Lots of us are opinionated and like to be heard. Yet James is urging us to think twice before opening our mouths: is it necessary?

 

Finally, we’re to be slow to get angry. Lots of things can irritate and annoy us. We should pause before venting, maybe we just need to be philosophical about whatever’s bugging us.

 

‘Father God, please help us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. For Your glory, and with Your help, amen’

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