You know.
I love scripture.
And I love learning new things.
There really isn’t anything that compares to that feeling of reading a verse again and getting something new. Or even better, reading a verse in context, and getting a true and proper understanding of it.
I’m guessing that means that you’ve got a verse for us. So what is it?
James 1:19-20, which says:
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
Oh. The slow to speak, slow to anger, but quick to listen verse. Isn’t this somewhat straightforward?
I thought the same thing. But I was wrong.
Oh. Please, explain.
So, at first glance James 1:19-20 appears to be simply a series of isolated exhortations. However, now I do believe that to quote these passages in isolation, really requires us to remove them from their context. And I have been guilty of doing this. To take passages out of context sets the stage for misinterpretation. And yes, sometimes it really may only be a slight misinterpretation.
But occasionally, we see slight misinterpretations result in grossly distorted interpretations. Think about how many cults are out there. These cults specialize in this sort of misinterpretation. They are experts at taking a text out of context and using the resulting distortion of truth to deceive their victims.
So many people have been hurt by a misinterpretation and application of scripture.
But back to the verse.
The context of James 1:19-20 includes the previous passages…
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing bestowed, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will, He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures. (James 1:16-18)
Okay. So what does extra bit of context do for us?
Looking at these verses, we see that James is clearly describing people who have listened to or heard and received the word of truth and have been born again. These people have become “as it were, the first fruits among His creatures”. Also, if we were to continue reading on, we would notice that James 1:21 is again referring to the Word of God and what must be done in order to receive it.
Finally, in James 1:22, 23, 24, 25 , we learn what the hearer of the Word must “do” with the Word once received in order for it to be an effective agent of transformation in one’s life.
Okay so what you are pointing out is that the verses before and after James 1:18-19 speak on the Word of God?
Therefore, it is only reasonable to interpret James 1:18-19 as referring to one’s reaction/attitude toward the Word of God.
Ohh okay. So in order to maximize one’s reception of the Word of God one needs to listen as in “quick to hear”, restrain speaking because it is very difficult to hear God speaking if we are speaking and simply refrain from anger.
I read something the other day that I wanted to share, that relates to this:
“Frankly, good listeners make good company. Good listeners make good friends. Good listeners make good learners. And good listeners then make good teachers. Good listeners make good counselors. On the other hand, poor listeners who only want to hear themselves talk and even while forced to listen are only planning what they’re going to say as soon as you take a breath are usually cheated out of the best relationships in life. Just from a human standpoint, learning how to listen is important. It determines an awful lot about our relationships to others. Far more important, however, than how we listen to others is how we listen to the Lord. How good are we at listening to God? What kind of listeners are we?”
We should ask ourselves:
Am I a good listener?
Do I listen to God?
Do I listen to the Word?
Someone once said,
‘God gave us two ears and one mouth because we need to listen twice as much as we talk.’
Learning that means being ‘quick to listen, slow to speak.’ Good listening builds relationships. You may feel like you are not a good listener, but good listeners aren’t born, they’re bred!
Especially in the context that we explained earlier, it truly requires effort. I requires humility. In a conversation with God, should we really be the one speaking more often than not?
People make jokes about paying for a meeting with a billionaire to listen and take notes, but imagine a meeting with God the creator of all things.
I pray that we have the humility to be slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to anger.
For more content like this, check out astudentoftheword.com (Search “ASOTW” on google)
My Sunday Skl 
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