05/29/2026
“Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving];”
James 1:19 AMP
This verse has come up in my life twice in the last two days. For me, that is significant.
The deeper I grow in my faith, the more I realize the power and importance of words. Words matter!
We’ve probably all heard the old saying, “God gave us two ears and one mouth so we should listen twice as much as we speak.” I believe there is profound truth in that statement.
When we listen, we MUST listen to understand… not to respond. If we are only listening to respond, we are automatically in the defensive mode and not seeking to understand.
A funny thing happens when we try to understand; we are less likely to speak those harsh words that can only make things worse. And, if we have a better understanding of the other point of view, it can and most likely will eliminate much of the anger that comes from harsh words.
Lord, help me to listen better, understand more, speak gently with wisdom, and slow to give into feelings of anger.
