Jump Start # 106

James 1:19-20 “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”

  The book of James has been called the “Proverbs of the N.T.” It is extremely practical and deals with how to put our faith in gear. Theories, ideas and principles have a place, but if I don’t know how to live my faith, then all those things do not help me much.

  Our verse today has to do with our insides. The things on the outside often make us get worked up and “steamed up” on the inside. James presents three main ingredients: hearing, speaking and anger. They go together. Often, it is we hear something, get mad about that, and then say something that we shouldn’t. Hearing, speaking and anger. James also introduces time elements here: quick and slow. Once he says to be quick, and twice to be slow. Be quick to hear, but be slow to speak and slow to anger.

  Quick to hear—be in a hurry to hear. Listen well. Hear the full story before we make our minds up and especially before we get worked up. Often we hear just enough and then we get excited, upset. Rumors float through the work place. Suspicions, speculation, and fear leads to panic. Phone calls are made that fuel these fears. Office gossip, often unfounded and without evidence gets folks worked up, up set and angry. Productivity dwindles. And then the whispers start—”we’re being bought out,” “we’re being downsized,” “the company is closing.” And then we get mad. We think about the mismanagement, the waste, the extreme salaries of the corporate leaders. Anger twists us up on the inside. We think bad things. We have negative feelings. Then we get the “who cares” attitude. Have you been there? Got a closet full of those T-shirts?

  The same happens in churches. It happens among families. It happens in the neighborhoods. We hear a bit, get angry fast, and then talk too much. For some, this is a weekly event.

  So, what do we do? First, recognize that anger doesn’t put on your best side. You don’t feel the best when you are upset and mad. You don’t act the best when you are angry. Often, most of our apologizes come about a bout of anger. James says “it does not achieve the righteousness of God.” Jesus said in His famous sermon, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Righteousness is the state of being “right”. You can never be right when you are doing wrong. Anger does that. People don’t punch holes in the wall when they are happy, they do that when they are angry. So realize anger doesn’t get you when you want to go. The anger James is discussing comes from a person who was “quick to hear.” Some people are masters at “pushing our buttons.” They can say the right thing and get us all worked up. Kids are good at that. They can get parents all upset. Some co-workers are that way. They ought to put that on their resume. More people leave jobs because they can’t get along with others than for any other reason.

  Hear it out. Hear it slowly. Then think. Is it worth it. Is it your battle? Is it your problem? We often like to run everyone’s life but our own. What’s the best solution? Pray. You hear something that isn’t right, that’s hurtful, or makes you upset, take it to the Lord. He can do something. All we can do is get mad.

  Good words from James. Those words ought to be posted on a bulletin board so all could see. They need to be printed upon our hearts. Quick and slow. Quick to hear and slow to speak and slow to anger. Check you speed today. Don’t we slow when you ought to be quick and don’t be going fast when you ought to be going slow. These words will make a difference. Try them out today!

Roger