SHHHHH
Matthew Griffin
Today’s Scripture: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20, ESV
Theme: Slow down your reactions and responses; human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.
THINK ABOUT IT
The human race is more diverse than we can comprehend. We have different languages, skin colors, shapes and sizes, talents, intelligences, opportunities, and that’s just a few of the differences. Think about the range of ideas that we can come up with in the world. Not only do we have different religions, political parties, and preferences, but inside all those areas, there are a million different groups. When we grasp this fact, the idea of “we are just going to disagree” starts to become apparent. That’s okay. Disagreeing with someone is not the issue; it’s how we act when we disagree that matters.
BREAK IT DOWN
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20, ESV). James starts out by telling us to be “quick to hear.” Ask yourself, are you listening to hear or are you listening to respond? What’s going on in your head? Are you listening to their opinion? Or are you listening to find a flaw you can exploit?
The writer then moves on to say be “slow to speak.” Don’t be so quick to give your opinion, even when you feel strongly about it. James, the brother of Jesus, is telling us to take some time before we respond. How many times have we made a rash sarcastic or rude comment, and completely regretted it? The verse then reads be “slow to anger.” David said in Psalm 4:4, NLT: “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.” Too many times, we let anger and emotion drive the words we speak and the decisions we make.
CHANGE THE MINDSET
James goes on to finish this verse by writing, “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Our thoughts are not to be revenge, slander, gossiping, or bashing--even when someone else is wrong. Jesus has called us not only to love, but to love just as He loved us! When Jesus hung on the cross, the whole crowd mocked Him. He could have annihilated them at any time, yet He decided to trust God, hold His tongue, and stay focused on the Father’s will.
Make it Personal: For most of us, there is one person who is coming to our minds right now. Everything they do frustrates us and everything they say is like nails on a chalkboard. If you’re a teenager, it might be your parents. You don’t understand many of the things they do, and you are constantly annoyed. If you are in management, it may be the employee who doesn’t pull his or her own weight. Or it could be the other way around: maybe you aren’t thrilled with something the church is doing. All these things can be extremely valid, but that's not the point. The issue is how we conduct ourselves and go about handling the situation, even resolving disagreements. Challenge yourself with the three steps above. Listen, don’t speak, and be patient when you become angry.
Pray: Jesus, You have been unfathomably patient with me. I will thank and worship You forever. As I go throughout my day, give me wisdom, Holy Spirit, that I may deal with disagreements in a loving way. Teach me to live as You did and do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read: Psalm 4:4; Proverbs 14:29; Proverbs 16:32; Ephesians 4:1-3
Weekly Memory Verse: "Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32, NLT