James 1:19 - Be Quick to Listen and Slow to Speak.
James 1:19 (NIV) My dear brothers and
sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick
to listen, slow to speak and slow to become
angry,
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.
James 1:19 (MSG) Post this at all the
intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up
with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in
the rear.
COMMENTARY PEARLS
Most of us will readily admit that our
mouths at times have caused us grief and sorrow. If
only we would pay attention to the apostle James
encouragement to listen more than we talk, we would be so
much better off. I suppose if God had wanted us
to talk more than we listen, we would have two
mouths and one ear, but that is not the case.
I have always been a big talker and have
often committed to listen more and talk less:
however, my commitments have been short-lived because
the mouth seems to be a wild animal with a mind
of its own. The Bible says that no man can tame
the tongue (see James 3:8). We need Gods help!
I have learned to pray daily about my
mouth. I ask God to put a guard on it so I don't
sin with my tongue (see Psalm 141:3) and to let
the words of my mouth and the meditations of my
heart be acceptable to Him (see Psalm 19:14).
Gods Word is filled with Scriptures about the
importance of our words. Let us always remember that we
have one mouth and two ears, which is a good
indicator that we should listen more than we talk.
Father, I cannot tame my own tongue, but
I do ask You to help me think before I speak
and listen more than I talk. [My Time with God
by Joyce Meyer]
Do you ever look back on conversations
you've had and think, "Man, I can't believe I said
that!" or, "Wow, I thought I was being so funny,
but it backfired big time. I really hurt my
friend'? Most of us have plenty of cringe-worthy
moments that we wish we could take back. Sometimes
we speak without thinking first, and other
times we don't realize the way our words reveal
the motives of our hearts.
If you want to build stronger
relationships with those around you, then you will have to
ask God to guide your words. I love Psalm 141:3
because it gives me comfort to imagine God placing a
guard beside my lips to prevent me from saying
things that don't honor the Lord.
He's committed to helping us control what
we say when we focus on him and his Word. If
you ask God to help you with what you say, then
you can relax and trust that his Spirit will
guide you. There might be a second where you pause
to think about the impact your next words will
have on the person hearing them. Or you may not
talk nearly as much as you once did. Remember,
our words communicate more than what they're
literally saying. They reveal who's in control of our
heart.
Lord, I know that you want me to bless
and build up others with my words. Guard my lips
and give me your power to control what I say.
[Daily Power by Craig Groeschel re Psalm 141:3]
INTRODUCTION
The conclusion of the introduction of James
(vv. 2"18) is that enduring trials leads to a
crown of life (v. 12) and yielding to temptation
can lead to physical death (v. 15). Since that
is the case, the believer in the midst of a
trial needs to be swift to hear, slow to speak,
and slow to wrath. These three exhortations
reveal the outline of this letter (see 1:21"2:26
for swift to hear; 3:1"18 for slow to
speak; 4:1"5:18 for slow to wrath). [Nelson
SB]
COMMENTARY
Active listening makes a worthwhile
conversation. When we talk too much and listen too little,
we communicate to others that we think our
ideas are much more important than theirs. James
wisely advises us to reverse this process. Put a
mental stopwatch on your conversations and keep
track of how much you talk and how much you
listen. When people talk with you, do they feel that
their viewpoints and ideas have value? [Life
Application SB]
Spiritual listening is always followed by
action. It is important to listen to what Gods
Word says, but it is much more important to obey
it, to do what it says. We can measure the
effectiveness of our Bible study time by the effect it has
on our behavior and attitudes. Do you put into
action what you have studied? [Life Application
SB]
I've often found myself, especially in
recovery small groups, thinking about what I'm going
to say as soon as I get a chance rather than
listening to what someone else has to say. Reflecting
on those times, I realize that I wasn't showing
much love or respect to the person who was
talking. It may have even slowed my recovery.
We all need to practice the art of
listening. I can think of three good reasons: (1) We
might learn something. (2) It's the polite and
respectful thing to do. (3) God's Word instructs us to
do so. [Celebrate Recovery Daily Devotional by
John & Johnny Baker]
Ever left a conversation feeling cheated
because it was so one-way that you might as well
have not been present? Maybe you know someone who
has a habit of cutting people off midsentence so
they can offer their own opinions on a subject.
Or someone who rattles on with one personal
story after another, without giving anyone else a
chance to share. Whew! Some conversations can leave
us feeling exhausted after trying so hard to
jump in.
We have good reasons to ask the Lord to
guard our mouths. We also have to control our
mouths if we want to develop good listening skills.
When we listen well to others, it communicates
respect and shows them we care. Jesus demonstrated
the power of being an effective listener. People
felt comfortable sharing their needs and sorrows
with Him: Martha and Mary after their brother,
Lazarus, died and the woman cured of a long-term
bleeding illness. People also felt emboldened to ask
Him questions: the Samaritan woman at the well,
a Jewish ruler named Nicodemus, His
disciples.
Our failure to listen patiently to others
can make us miss out on so much: the chance to
make a new friend or deepen an existing
relationship, the opportunity to encourage a fellow
believer, or the chance to share Jesus with someone
who needs to hear about Him. Even worse, if this
inability carries over to our prayer lives, we may
miss out on hearing that still, small voice. Yes,
a guard over my mouth is something I need for
sure. by Dianne Neal Matthews
Faith Step: How can you improve your
listening skills? Ask Jesus to help you imitate Him in
this area. [Mornings With Jesus 2019 Devotional
by Guideposts and Zondervan re Psalm 141:3]
Dialogues of the Deaf
It is impossible to overemphasize the
immense need humans have to be really listened to,
to be taken seriously, to be understood. No one
can develop freely in this world and find a full
life without feeling understood by at least one
other person .
Listen to the conversations of our world,
between nations as well as those between couples.
They are for the most part dialogues of the
deaf.
So wrote Dr. Paul Tournier, the eminent
Swiss psychiatrist and author. His words convict
me. They usually do but these especially.
Because they probe at an area of weakness in my own
life. Not a glaring weakness; a subtle one. One
that I'm able to hide from most folks because I'm
often the one who's expected to talk. But some
time ago it began to dawn on me that I needed to
cultivate a discipline far more difficult than talking
and one that required an exceptional amount
of skill.
Listening.
I don't mean just hearing. Not simply
smiling and nodding while somebody's mouth is
moving. Not merely staying quiet until it's "your
turn" to say something. All of us are good at that
game - cultivated in the grocery store, local
laundromat, or on the front steps of the church
building.
Dialogues of the deaf! Sounds come from
voice boxes; guttural noises are shaped into words
by tongues and lips. But so little is listened
to - I mean really taken in. As Samuel Butler
once stated: "It takes two people to say a thing
- a sayer and a sayee. The one is just as
essential to any true saying as the other."
Illustration: Children. They express
their feelings. Deep down in their fragile, inner
wells are a multitude of needs, questions, hurts,
and longings. Like a tiny bucket, their tongues
splash out these things. The busy, insensitive,
preoccupied parent, steamrolling through the day, misses
many a cue and sails right past choice moments
never to be repeated.
Or how about the person we spot without
Christ? Have you ever practiced listening
evangelism? Unless we're careful we usually unload the
goods and go for the win. But people bruise
easily. Sometimes irreparably. We must take care not
to fold, spindle, mutilate, or assault! Sure,
the gospel must ultimately be shared, but taking
the time to listen patiently and respond calmly
is an essential part of the process. I nodded
with agreement when I read the admonishment of a
rough and ready tycoon as he began the meeting
with: "Now listen slowly!"
Check out Christ with the woman at the
well (John 4). He could have blown her away with
an endless barrage of verbal artillery. He
didn't. He genuinely listened when she spoke; He
"listened slowly." He read the lines of anxiety on her
face and felt the weight of guilt in her heart.
As she talked, He peered deeply into the well
of her soul. It wasn't long before she found
herself completely open, yet not once did she feel
forced or needlessly embarrassed. His secret? He
listened. He studied every word, each expression. Even
the tone of her voice.
What does it take? Several things. Rare
qualities. Like caring. Time. Unselfishness.
Concentration. Holding the other person in high esteem.
Sensitivity. Tolerance. Patience. Self-control. And -
perhaps most of all - allowing room for silence
while the other person is thinking and trying to
get the words out. Wise is the listener who
doesn't feel compelled to fill up all the blank
spaces with verbiage.
Solomon said it clearly in Proverbs 20:12:
The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The LORD has made both of them.
Two ears. Two eyes. Only one mouth. Maybe
that should tell us something. I challenge you to
join me in becoming a better listener. With your
mate. Your friends. Your kids. Your boss. Your
teacher. Your pupils. Your clients. Your fellow
Christians as well as those who need to meet Christ.
If those who battle with blindness need
Seeing Eye dogs, we can be certain that those who
struggle through dialogues of the deaf need Hearing
Ear friends. [Chuck Swindoll www.insight.org. re
Pro. 20:12]
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Watch your words diligently. Words have
such great power to bless or to wound. When you
speak carelessly or negatively, you damage others
as well as yourself. This ability to verbalize
is an awesome privilege, granted only to those
I created in My image. You need help in
wielding this mighty, power responsibly.
Though the world applauds quick-witted
retorts, My instructions about communication are
quite different: Be quick to listen, slow to
speak, and slow to become angry. Ask My Spirit to
help you whenever you speak. I have trained you
to pray - "Help me? Holy Spirit" - before
answering the phone, and you have seen the benefits of
this discipline. Simply apply the same discipline
to communicating with people around you. If
they are silent, pray before speaking to them. If
they are talking, pray before responding. These
are split-second prayers, but they put you in
touch with My Presence. In this way, your speaking
comes under the control of My Spirit. As positive
speech patterns replace your negative ones, the
increase in your Joy will amaze you. (Pro. 12:18;
Jam. 1:19; Eph, 4:29) [Jesus Calling by Sarah
Young]
ONE LINERS
Think before you speak. [Proverb]
Being quiet is sometimes the best thing to
do. [My Time with God by Joyce Meyer]
CROSS REFERENCES
Proverbs is full of the perils of too hasty
speech. "When words are many, transgression is not
lacking, but he who restrains his lips is prudent"
(Prov 10:19). "He who guards his mouth preserves
his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to
ruin" (Prov 13:3). "Even a fool who keeps silent
is considered wise" (Prov 17:28). "Do you see a
man who is hasty in his words? There is more
hope for a fool than for him" (Prov 29:20).
[Barclay Commentary]
In view of the repeated references to
unbridled tongues found in this epistle (chs. 1:26;
3:1"18; 4:11), it is apparent that James often
encountered the problem of hasty speech. This evil is
mentioned elsewhere in the Scriptures (see Prov.
10:19; 17:27, 28; Eccl. 5:2). The emphasis is on
being slow to begin speaking, not on speaking
slowly. [SDA Bible Commentary]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2004/20040520-0937.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2010/20101210-1152.html
EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON 28 REVELATIONS OF
JESUS
1st of 28: Divine Dining:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_7j1QIKqmY
2nd of 28: Pictures of the Divine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lNI-OQ7-eQ
3rd of 28: A Dirty Bible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMkPvBuuFd4
4th of 28: Cared For:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztXyJVdcCds
5th of 28: Saved:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX45kGRe1HI
6th of 28: You Can Change:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd0gkvK18fo
7th of 28: Reprogramming Our Brains:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov36f_RapXc
8th of 28 Our Holy Father:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XabXLEXsxbY
9th of 28 Gifts of Service:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtuGZviodkA
10th of 28 The Holy Spirit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in89XVs4cGo
Live ongoing series in progress.
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
