James 1:19 says “Wherefore my beloved brethren, let everyman be swift
hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”
I have come to realize that most people talk too much. Fights, wars, and disagreements all come through the tongue and not the ear.
You will rarely get into trouble by listening. We can learn more from listening than speaking. Hearing others is more profitable then speaking. Most of us can
learn more from what others say than what we have to say.
Practicing the art of listening is a dying art. Talking when angry will always guarantee trouble. James says we should be swift to hear (Listen) and slow to speak. Why? Because the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God (Chapter 1: verse 20 of James.) It is said that, “If you talk when you’re angry, you’ll make the best speech you’ll ever regret.”
Not listening clearly can cause the wrong responses like the new Sunday school teacher had to iron out some problems in her class with the Lord’s Prayer. One child had to be corrected after repeating, “Howard be thy name.” Another
youngster prayed, “Lead us not into Penn Station.” Still another surprised the teacher with, “our Father who art in Heaven, how’d you know my name?”
Many of us respond with our mouth the wrong way rather then use our ears much like the children in the Sunday school class, not listening carefully before
they speak. Jesus said, “He that has a ear to hear let them hear what the spirit is saying ….” (Revelation 2:7;3:6,13,22.)
Listening to God’s word is the only way to develop a strong faith. Romans 10:17 says that, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Two
ears and one mouth means twice as much time listening instead of talking.
James tells us to bridle our tongue in verse 26. A bridle is headgear in which a horse’s reins are attached, it goes in the horse’s mouth. It is used to restrain the horse when needed. God says when it comes to talking use restraint.
James says believers in Christ control their tongues and watch what they say and do. James 3:2,3 says that in many ways we offend God, but if we don’t offend
God in the use of our words then God considers us perfect. When God says perfect He is not meaning sinless because Christians in this life are not recognized as attaining sinless perfections.
What God is saying is that when a Christian controls their tongue and actions they are recognized as behaving with Christ likeness. The maturing process in them is taking place. Perfection of the believer has God’s powerful touch of the trinity. They are perfect. They are being made perfect. They shall be perfect. When Jesus refers to Christians as perfect He is talking about these 3 P’s of perfection:
- Positional Perfection-because Christ paid the price.
Placed in God’s kingdom. (Phil. 3:16; Hebrews 10:14) - Process Perfection- because Christ is changing us.
Being made perfect daily. (Phil. 3:15; Hebrews 13:21)
- Permanent Perfection- because Christ will change us.
Shall be made perfect[future].(Phil. 3:11,12; 1Peter 1:15,16)
What is the goal that God is doing in the lives of every believer. God is conforming them into the image of His Son Jesus Christ. Romans 8:28 says “For whom he
did foreknew he also predestined to be conform to the image of his son, that he might be the first born among many brethen.”
If you are not listening twice as much as you speak then you are probably not honoring God with your ears and mouth.
“Listen and Speak Rarely.”