James 1:19 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”
Many of us do fairly well with part of this command; the slow to wrath part.
This is primarily because it is rather socially unacceptable to take out our frustrations on others.
The greater concern for us is the the swift to hear and slow to speak portion of the verse.
We may be so concerned about what we want to say (much of the time) that we don’t bother to listen at all.
This is the wrong thing to do for a Christian. If there are any people in the world that should be good listeners, and careful speakers, it ought to be us.
We are God’s emissaries to the world and we should therefore listen and speak as He does. He is our model.
The speed with which we respond should also be a primary concern. We must have enthusiasm for hearing, but show caution in speaking or reacting emotionally.
When it comes to communication, these are the predispositions of any Godly believer in Christ.
Things will be better for us or for those with which we interact if we take this passage to heart.
James 1:19 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”