(Part 1)
“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”-James 1:19-20
When it comes to living a life of faith, it is important to remember that the Christian faith is not built on reactions but on responses. The meanings of these two words may seem synonymous, however we must be mindful of the subtleties between the two words.
A reaction is impulsive, tense, short-sighted; whereas a response is thought out, calm, and has the big picture in mind. Considering those definitions, how do you live your life? In times of trial and temptation do you react or respond? Life is going to throw a million things at us and we have a choice regarding how we will approach those moments. With that said, there are going to be moments where we must react to a situation for our own preservation or for the protection of others. However, we cannot live a sustained life of faith with that as our base.
Listen to James words on how we should respond to the trials and temptations that we face. He said we should be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
Proverbs 1:5 tells us:
“Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.”
The key to responding correctly to most situations we face is to listen first. Too often, we want to express ourselves verbally before we have taken time to listen. Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 5:1:
“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.”
Solomon teaches that even when we are approaching God, we should first go near to listen. How often do we blaze into our personal prayer times and exhaust God with our laundry list of needs and then just as swiftly exit without ever hearing from Him? It stands to reason, that when facing a trial, we should spend time listening. We should add to our learning and seek discernment before we begin to try and address the problem. This will help to keep us from sounding foolish and from appearing naive about the situations we are facing.
In addition, we should be slow to speak. Ecclesiastes 5:2 states:
“Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few.”
Solomon points out that a proper response requires us to discipline our mouths. The key to responding and not reacting is to weigh our words before we speak them. Consider their impact and necessity in addressing our problems. Too often we are rash with our mouth often speaking without thinking, verbalizing our thoughts without weighing all the facts, forgetting that according to Proverbs 18:21 that life and death are in the power of the tongue. Our words have the power to build up or tear down. Solomon admonishes us to be careful with what we say, especially before God. We should be quick to listen, but let our words be few.
Finally, James challenges us to be slow to anger. He states that the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. There is a righteous anger that we can carry towards that which is sinful, however the anger we carry towards others will never produce God’s righteousness in us. Man’s anger is reactionary; intended to punish and exact justice on our behalf. God’s wrath is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish. It seems that we are quick to forget the we have been forgiven by God and commissioned to forgive others just as God has forgiven us.
How different would your work place, home life, and daily interactions with others look if you simply employed those three simple rules: be swift to hear, be slow to speak, and be slow to anger?
Pastor Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church
No comments:
Post a Comment