What
is your normal response when you are confronted with God’s Truth? Is there a readiness to hear and obey, or a
defensive response of anger and arguing?
Be encouraged as you read the Truth today about how you and I can be
rescued from giving the wrong response!
As you
read today's passage, look for these words or phrases: quick, slow,
anger, and humility.
Passage
for the day: James 1:19-21 (NASB)
19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone
must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
20 for
the
anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
21 Therefore,
putting
aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able
to save your souls.
Questions
for thought: Take a few moments to answer these questions before you go
on to the next section.
What
does it mean to be quick to hear and slow to speak?
Is
your first response in a tense situation to be angry or to listen? Why?
What
are we commanded to do in verse 21? How
do we obey this command?
What
is the word implanted in you? What is it
able to do?
Meditate on this:
It is
interesting that James begins this section by telling us that we should already
know what he is about to write – the discipline of a controlled tongue. Normally when we see a command to be quick to
do something, we think of taking action.
Here we are told to not act in anger, but to actively listen. The phrase, “slow to speak” in this passage
has the idea of “arguing” or “being defensive.”
We are told to be slow to defend ourselves, but ready to hear. We are also challenged in this passage to be “slow
to anger.” In Paul’s writings, we are
exhorted likewise: “in your anger do not sin,” “do not let the sun go down on
your anger,” and to rid yourself of anger (Eph 4:26; cf. Col 3:8). Anger is dangerous even when expressed in
speech. Angry speech is part of the temptation to seek vengeance and was of
deep concern to both James and Paul (Rom. 12:9-21). Whether in relationship with God or in
relationship with others, anger must be ruled out. Human anger will injure the
merciful peacemaking required for the relationships among fellow believers and
those who are unbelievers. How can the
world know that we are the disciples of Christ, when we are showing anger
toward one another? Love is one of the
defining characteristics for the disciple of Christ and we should love each
other as Christ loved us (John 13:33-35)!
This is a foreign concept for us outside of the grace of God! Be quick
to listen to God’s Word, without arguing, and without anger.
In
closing, James does not just stop with anger, but commands us to rid ourselves
of anything that does not please God.
James uses the metaphor of taking off and putting away clothes that are
dirty or soiled. In this case, it is the
dirtiness of sin. However, we cannot do
this on our own power. We must receive
the Word of God that has been implanted in our hearts. It has the power to rescue our souls! God has already put His Word in your heart if
you are a Christian, but you must still receive it with meekness and gentleness
– the opposite of anger. This means that
you and I must allow the word to become deeply rooted in our hearts, so that we
are able to live it out in our daily responses to life’s challenges. Rather than speaking out in anger, the wise
believer listens to the Lord speak through His Word. When we are listening to God’s
voice, we will be able to respond correctly in any situation.
Praying for that you would Love Christ
PASSIONATELY, Know Christ DEEPLY, and Enjoy Christ FULLY!!!
Pastor Stephen
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