As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:
19My
beloved brothers, know [this], let every man be swift into the hearing, slow
into the speaking, slow into anger, 20for the anger of man is not
producing [the] righteousness of God.
“Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to get angry.” What an
ideal objective to take with us every day!
One of the issues commentators deliberate is whether v19
applies in general to life or specifically to the hearing of the Word. As they
point out, just before this, in v18, “He gave us life through the word of
truth” then immediately following, in v21 we’re admonished to receive the
engrafted Word, then follows the discussion of being doers of the Word and “not
hearers only.”
Certainly being “swift to hear, slow to speak” applies
directly to the hearing of the Word and it (the Word) is front and center in
this passage. Just this last Sunday I found this verse helpful as I found our
pastor teaching a message that I “didn’t like.” The Lord kept reminding me, “Swift
to hear, slow to speak …” I can say first hand it definitely applies to the
hearing of the Word!
All of that being said, though, I don’t necessarily buy that
James is specifically wanting us to apply v19 to only the hearing of Bible
truth. I guess I’m just not sure you can compartmentalize life that neatly.
What I mean is, I doubt anyone will do well listening to the Word when they don’t
listen well to anyone or anything else. Good listening, if it’s real, involves
realizing I have a lot to learn, sincerely valuing the thoughts of others, of
realizing that a huge expression of love is to deliberately listen to what
others wish to say.
My contention would be the person who hasn’t learned these
things in their everyday life isn’t going to suddenly become humble and
teachable just because he’s sitting on a pew. I think it is a lifestyle decision. The fool who “finds no pleasure in
understanding but delights in airing his own opinions” (Prov 18:2) is the same
fool in church or out. When the Lord warns us, “He who answers before listening
– that is his folly and shame” (Prov 18:13), He certainly never intended us to
think that applies only to the hearing of the Word, as important and applicable
as that may be. As I have often contended, our world is fractal, not just linear.
Even though time passes linearly, our lives consist of patterns more so than a
series of events. This business of being like Jesus and practicing a humble
spirit is a pattern we pursue, not just a choice we make as we sit in church
(though, as I was reminded on Sunday, that certainly is part of it!).
I guess I just want to make the point (since this is my blog
and, being a fool, I’m airing my own opinions!) that “swift to hear, slow to
speak, slow to anger” is a motto we should all take with us all day every day
everywhere we go.
For whatever it’s worth, I have to say too, while we’re on the
subject, that “listening” is not an activity that many excel in. It is shocking
to me how much we all talk and how little we communicate. For myself, it is a
rare experience to want to “tell someone something” and ever find anyone who
actually listens. It is really quite frustrating until I’m reminded that I don’t
do so well myself. I walked away from a conversation a week or so ago with the
Lord making me realize that I very specifically was not listening. It makes me
sick, to think someone was trying to tell me something and I was too full of
myself to just stop and actually listen. They deserved better than that. “Swift
to hear, slow to speak.” I’m quite sure when people spoke to Jesus He gave them
His undivided attention. We all know that look on someone’s face when they
really do care, when they really are listening, when they really do value us
and whatever on earth it is we’re trying to say. That is a Jesus look. I hope
and pray I’ll be more of that to other people and less and less of the self-engrossed
buffoon I naturally am.
And “slow to anger” – what a blessing that has been to learn
as I’ve tried to follow Jesus. Anger makes so much sense at the time, the words
we want to say, the way we think we should treat people. Then there’s the “afterward.”
“A fool shows his annoyance at once … his heart blurts out folly …” but “The
wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways.” Seems like the older I
get the more shocked I am at what an impatient buffoon I am. I get angry at the
least little displeasure. Here I am sincerely wanting to live a life of love
and yet finding myself all in a fluff over the most trivial stupid things. God
help me. I guess the good news is that He has. Even though I am a ridiculously
impatient buffoon, at least I know I’m not as bad as I was. I’m not as bad as I
could be. And that is because the Lord has taught me so much about this emotion
of anger. I think the best thing He taught me is basically just to keep my
mouth shut! Once in a while there are things I really should have said, but
most of the time I am really, really glad I didn’t!
The Word of God is certainly a string of pearls but this one
is one of the brightest: “Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” May He
help me keep it in the very front of my heart. What a jewel of truth!
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