| James 1:19 – “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” |
Angry words spoken in haste can leave wounds that are very difficult to heal. A teacher once had her class take a piece of plain paper and wad it up into a ball. The students were to stomp on it, smash it, maybe even tear the edges a bit. Then they were asked to unfold the paper and try to smooth it back into its original form. Of course, they could not as the damage to the papers was too significant. She then explained that those wrinkles represented harshly spoken words of anger or bullying. Even if the offender later apologized, the harm was done, and the scars would remain. I was on the receiving end of one particularly hurtful exchange with someone I respected. Without knowing all the facts or taking the time to hear my side of the story, they lashed out in anger and disappointment. Years later an apology was made, but how much better it would have been if they could have been a bit slower in their response.
James is instructing us here to spend our time listening first before reacting. Perhaps if we spend more time listening than speaking, we can avoid doing damage to those around us.
Prayer: Dear Father – Please guide my thoughts and actions during times of confrontation. Help me not to lash out too quickly before I know all the facts. Remind me to listen first before I respond. Amen
– Betty Gossell
