Read: James 1:16-21

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. (v. 19)

When I was about seven, my entire extended family was gathered for a holiday dinner. Parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were talking all at once, and the noise at the dinner table was deafening. I looked at my grandfather, leaning back in his chair. He hadn’t said a word all day. I remarked, “Grampa, you’re so quiet! Why aren’t you talking?” He replied, “I’m listening. You learn more this way.”

We have all met people who talk incessantly. You know them: the friend who drones on about every detail of his life, but never asks how you are doing; the coworker who complains to anyone within earshot about how busy she is; that person in church who makes sure the entire congregation hears his long-winded solution to a problem, but won’t listen to any other ideas. It is frustrating to be in the company of these people.

James apparently knew people like this too. He warns against this kind of self-centered behavior, saying we must be quick to listen but slow to speak. By listening, we gain wisdom. By listening, we give others the gift of our presence and our compassion. By listening, we learn. In the early church, the Scriptures were always read aloud, and so by listening, we can also hear from God.

Prayer:

Lord, you gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. Help us recognize when we need to open one and close the other.

Author: Susan Hetrick

https://woh.org/