Be Quick

Highlights from James One

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. James 1:19-21

 

Meditate. Consider listening and speaking.

 

We just finished going through the book of James. What was it all about? Each of the next few days, I’ll repeat a passage from each chapter highlighting the instructions from James.

The Gossips
The Arches National Park
Utah
Be quick to listen, slow to speak...
...slow to get angry.

James said…You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. I feel like he is talking to kids—not grown adult Christians. When I was growing up I had a bad temper, that I blamed on my Irish heritage. Mostly, I would blow up at my brothers and sister…and myself—then at my children later in life! Poor kids. When I became a Christian and later as I rededicated my life to Christ, God really got hold of my tongue and my temper. I praise Him for the grace He has shown to me…and the taming of my temper. I am a good example that human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. It is by God’s grace and mercy that I am saved…and that my language and life are more worthy of Him today than fifty-some years ago.

How about you? Has God transformed your life? Are you listening to God and applying His words to your life? Are you angry with someone…God…or yourself? Here’s additional advice from Paul.

And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:30-32

Forgiveness is the answer to lots of problems. Forgive yourself, forgive others. Then God will forgive you. Jesus taught that in His Sermon on the Mount.

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15

Forgiveness is the key to allowing you to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Forgiving myself opened the door to listening—and actually hearing others. Then I could think before speaking—slowly, without anger.

 

Prayer – Lord Jesus, help me to listen and not get angry—but to really hear what others are saying. Thank you for Your grace and mercy. Additionally, I have searched my soul…and forgiven those who offended me. Stupid—that anger was hurting me, not them! Thank you for wisdom in applying Your word to my life. Please continue to guide me…that I might not sin against You in thought, word, or actions.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all

bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:30-32

 

© 2025 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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