James 1:19. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
And it’s a fine, sunny Tuesday in the month of July, the height of the summer season! And the weather has been behaving like it’s truly summer for the last few days; hot, humid and muggy, with the occasional sprinkle of heavenly blessings to either cool it down, or increase the humidity, your choice. (smile)
And I’m chuckling here, because our God is indeed a great God who does work in mysterious ways. A while ago I was wondering what to write on today and decided to check our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin to see if I could find a good topic. And lo, and behold, the second place I opened it to, this marvellous topic opened unto me. It’s simply, but ever so appropriately titled, ‘A Quiet Tongue.’
Don’t know if I’ve ever shared it before, but even if I have, it’s certainly worth sharing again, for our world is desperately in need of more quiet tongues than we currently have. The uproar of voices today, and many of them angry voices, surely seems like the whole world is talking together at the same time, talking a mile a minute on things most of us have no real clue about.
The social media revolution has birthed an incredible amount of talk and opinions that are leading so many of us astray, especially the young, soft minded, easily led folks of this entitled generation. And with everyone talking at the same time, it obviously means that very few of us are listening. But anyway, enough of my rant, (smile) let’s read the poem and see if it can help us keep a quieter tongue.
Please read with me: ‘Lord, a revealing fact Began to surface today: I talk more than I listen. I seem to be thoroughly convinced That my ideas My inspiring experiences My bits of wisdom Are exactly what all my friends need. Too often I break into conversations Confident that my enlightened insight Will solve the predicament – Whatever it is. Obviously, I feel more comfortable When I’m expounding. But this morning at a Bible study I cringed when I read Your command In the first chapter of James.
“Don’t ever forget That it’s best to listen much Speak little, and not become angry.” At first I wanted to run. But as the words kept battering away At my guilty heart I finally circled them with red ink. Now, Lord, please help me to obey them. Remind me daily, hourly That listening is a discipline And a discipline always costs. I know I must pay a price The price for me Is a listening ear And a quiet tongue.’
Oh my people, that poem ought to be shouted from the rooftops, television sets, radios, all social media, and wherever people gather, so that we can see, understand and learn to stop talking as much as we do, and learn to listen more, because we can learn much more by listening than talking! And most of us would already have surmised that the Bible Promise for the poem comes from the age old, but very wise words of James, when he warned, two thousand years ago. ‘Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:’ (James 1:19)
Wow! What words of eternal wisdom! But are we listening to them today? Obviously not! Because words are being irresponsibly spouted more than at any other time in our long and irresponsible history! And the revolution of social media is not helping, but unfortunately allowing them to be spread more easily and widely than ever before. Now here’s a word from the scholars on the verse from James above. ‘This is a key verse because it expresses three topics that James develops later: hearing, verses 19-27; speaking, chap. 3:1-12; and wrath 4:1-12.’
Now those might be some excellent scriptures for us to spend some time reading and meditating upon in the near future. (smile) For now though, let’s deal with what comes next in James; the matter of hearing and doing. He continues: ‘For the wrath of man worketh not (does not produce) the righteousness of God… But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.’ (James 1:20, 22)
Now that’s another good reminder for many of us, because in our great bursts of speech, like the Pharisees of long ago, we often speak the word, but very seldom do it, seldom put it into action. And we can’t dispute that fact because if we believers were more astute and responsible in doing the word, we are so quick to speak, our world would not be in the dire straits it’s currently in.
And I like how James goes on to expound on our problem. ‘For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass (mirror): For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (what he does).’ (James 1:23-25)
Oh my brethren, unfortunately, many of us are ever so guilty of James’ censure. We see ourselves in the mirror then walk away and completely forget who we are, and what we ought to be about in Christ’s kingdom. And as per the ‘perfect law of liberty,’ the scholars tell us it ‘probably refers to the teachings of Christ and His apostles. This law is perfect, since Christ brought to completion the work of the Mosaic Law (cf. Matt. 5:17-20; Rom. 10:4). It is a law of liberty because it frees from the principles of sin and death. (Rom. 8:2-3; Gal. 5:1, 13) James also describes it as the royal law (2:8) for it is the law of the messianic King (cf. Gal. 6:2).’
Ah mih people, I am seriously and sincerely suggesting you take a couple of minutes and look up those scriptures referenced by the scholars. I just did, and believe me, they are interesting and very enlightening on the subjects referred to. But enough for today, we’ll continue on this topic tomorrow, if God spares life obviously. (smile) Now let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having declared (yesss!!!) that, let’s now go out and put it into practice, be doers of the word, share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…talk is ever so cheap…but action calls for sacrifice…
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