Slow to Speak

James 1:19 (New International Version)

Listening and Doing

¹⁹My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,


Oh how grateful I am that I held my tongue; not once, not twice, but many times in the past 2-3 days. I have learned about relationships, and future relationships. God has taught me about myself, the me He is creating me to be, through His word.

By my choice to hold my tongue, I have not only salvaged these relationships to keep them as they are, but I have grown as a person. On one occasion, I might have callously caused someone to think I do not trust him/her, and it would have been detrimental. In another situation, I would have proven that I have to be right, independent, and do whatever I want... which is not the kind of person I want to be. How thankful I am that I shut my mouth and listened before making rash assumptions and statements. There is another situation which is not resolved. The truth of it may never come to light, and I still question the details - but I have chosen to let it go (in a way) and simply be aware, without speaking to the situation, or the person. Confrontation is easy for me. I'm good at it. I crave it, at times. But in this case, I feel the Lord leading me down a different path, a path He clearly teaches us through the book of James. A path of peace.

And so I am actually the student. ::Remaining silent when I am upset, when I feel I am right, when I think I have been offended.... remaining silent does not make me weak. In fact, only through Jesus Christ can I even hold my tongue at all. So the strength is in Christ, anyway! If I am ever weak, I am weak without Christ, so what difference does it make?

Pride makes us feel the need to speak up, speak out. Pride makes us resort to all sorts of trickery and devisive scheming, but the Lord brings us together for His purposes, for His glory. So we are not to be at odds with one another.

I am learning so much. And it is so hard. But I embrace all of this. I know God is using all of it to prepare me for what is to come.