James 1: 19-21
Slow to Speak, Quick to Listen

E. May Grimes, “Speak, Lord, in the stillness, While I wait on Thee; Hushed my heart to listen In expectancy.”

Being quick to listen was very important to a Jewish people because, when James was written, there was no printing press. The Old Testament scriptures were not something every family had a copy of in their homes. They were an oral culture when James was written, and they had to listen. If people didn’t listen, they would usually end up being impoverished in their walk with Christ. Listening to God has huge implications for when/if we read the Bible and listen to it.

Studies are now showing that we are becoming increasingly less literate as a country. People used to read to get all of the news, now we want sound bites that sum it all up for us. We watch and listen to those places that agree with us and tune out those that have a different opinion. When YouTube videos or sound bites are the major way we process or learn, we start to run into big issues because everything we are now consuming is lowering our ability to concentrate. Written words seem too mundane to hold our attention. Having a daily devotional time with God suffers if and when we can’t slow down enough to listen to God Himself.

Being slow to speak and slow to anger will make us a people who are quicker to listen (as we ultimately want to listen to God’s words first).

5 things that could make us quicker to listen:
1. Love one another as God calls us to. Listening requires an intense interest in the other person.
2. Limit exposure to that which would destroy us.
3. Read God’s Word and “listen” as we read.
4. Slow down, be still, and listen to God above ourselves.
5. Expectantly want to worship Jesus and hear God’s Words.

James 1:20 - for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Community Discussion

Read James 1:19-21.

• How are others around you quick to speak and slow to listen?
• How are you quick to speak and slow to listen?
• Explain a time when you were not quick to listen. What were you focused on instead of listening and why?
• Who might God be calling you to listen more quickly?

• Are there ways you can slow down in your life and listen to God more?
• How can you make that more of a priority? If in a GC, how can your community help?
• How have you profited from listening to what God says?
• Do you experience times where your walk with God is being impoverished due to lack of listening?

• How has speaking too quickly gotten you in trouble?
• Are there those you have not been “slow to speak” with and caused harm in a relationship? How might God be asking you to repair that relationship with them…and change going forward?
• When does your pride/arrogance come into your words?
• Who might you need to apologize to and repent for speaking too quickly?
• Would others say you have a teachable spirit? Try having your GC answer this for you.

• How have you seen anger produce an ugly, unrighteous life?
• What does it mean to be made new? How have you experienced this new life?
• How have we underappreciated the changes new birth brings?

• How do you allow God to control your listening, your speaking, your anger