Listen

James 1:¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to LISTEN, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

I’ve come to believe that not many people pay attention to this particular verse in James, and if they do they don’t care to follow it. We live in the communication era; everyone has something to say and they have numerous ways to have their voices heard. Sometimes it’s easy to be sucked into a vortex of never ending chatter across various mediums with our hands cupping our ears. We are forever speaking and never listening.

I understand as believers our tongues and by extension our voice is our source of power from God. The tongue is our greatest weapon and as much as we need to use it on a daily basis it’s time we become more mindful about giving it a rest. Despite the recent trend WE DO NOT have to comment on everything, WE DO NOT have to answer every question out there and especially when we’re angry WE DO NOT have to let the opposition know what we’re thinking in that very moment.

WE NEED TO SHUT UP!! 

God wants to talk to us, but so much of us are caught up in our own ramblings that we do not allow God the opportunity to say a word. We pray and ask for answers, but do we stop and listen for his response? We have a lot of examples in the bible where god spoke to his disciples. Maybe he wants to speak directly to us but we’ve put on our ear plugs and put our tongues on overdrive, not allowing him access to our ears.

John 10:²⁷ My sheep LISTEN to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Don’t misinterpret what I’m saying. I don’t wish for us to stop speaking all together or stop connecting with each other or stop spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. All I’m asking is that we take some time off to listen to what God has to say. God has given us instructions for a reason. Just like any other instruction given to us through the bible it is for our own good that we should practice holding our tongues.

Proverbs 29:²⁰ Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them. 

James warns that those of us who hear the word of God and does not follow it are like men who look at themselves in the mirror and then walk away not remembering what they look like. I pray that we do not become like those men. Let us follow the instruction given to us so that our words, when spoken will be for the up-lifting of God’s kingdom.

Colossians 4:⁶ Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

God Bless You!