Todd Johnson

Family Pastor

James 1:19

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”

I don’t know about you, but this verse is a challenging one for me to follow. My instinct is to want to talk and share my thoughts on the matter at hand. I also tend to anger easily, which I know is something that I need to continue to work on in my life. I joke that I never had an anger issue until I had kids. The Lord is commanding us here to make sure you take the time to listen to what others are sharing with you and be respectful to them. You certainly will have an opportunity to talk but just take your time and think about what you would like to say so you won’t regret the words that come out of your mouth.

This verse is also compelling regarding your relationship with Jesus. When you spend time with Him, do you just talk, or do you take time to be still and listen to what He wants to share with you? Prayer is so powerful, but if we don’t stop and listen to the Holy Spirit, we are only engaged in a one-sided conversation. I am preaching to the choir with that statement. I have a hard time sitting still for too long, so I am working on improving that part of my prayer life. I hope this verse will speak to your heart today and help you to slow down both in your personal time with Jesus as well as your time with the people you interact with every day. A listening ear and a compassionate heart can go a long way.