Some Sound Advice

Happy New Year to all! I hope you had a good 2024 and I hope your 2025 is even better. 

Let’s get right to the point. It’s a New Year so let’s start it off with some really good biblical advice. Now I realize that no one really likes taking advice and this is especially true if we didn’t ask for any advice. In sharp contrast to that, most people seem to truly enjoy giving advice. I understand this. I am pretty much the same way. 

However, when the advice comes from God’s Word, all that changes. When God gives us advice, it is smart to accept it and follow it. James gives some sound advice in James 1:19, “But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.”i These three gems of advice are easy to understand but harder to follow. 

Quick to Hear 

The first one is most likely the hardest for most people. James tells us to be “swift to hear.” People want to be listened to when they are talking to you. They want your undivided attention. What most people are doing is, instead of listening, they are thinking about what they are going to say back. They are trying to come up with a story that will top the story the other person is sharing. In truth, people just want to be listened to when they are talking. People want us to hear what they are saying. They want us to give them our encouragement and support. 

Several years ago, I read a true story about a man who went to a mall in the city where he lived. It was a large and busy mall, and had lots of people coming in every day. He put up a booth that was a small black tent. He placed a couple of comfortable chairs in the tent and a small table with ice water and cups for those who might need a drink of water while they talked. Then he put a sign that for five dollars he would listen to you talk, without interruption, for fifteen minutes. You could talk about anything you wanted. He would not reply, he would not judge you, he would give no advice, even if you asked for it. He let everyone know the money they paid him was all going to charity. He did this for several weekends and gave thousands of dollars to charity. 

The point is people want to be listened to. They want to be heard. You and I both know that sometimes people, including us, just want to talk to someone. 

Slow to Speak 

The next thing is also hard to do, especially for me. James tells us to be “slow to speak.” The truth is a lot of us have “foot in mouth” disease. Sometimes we speak the wrong things because we haven’t been listening to what is said. (Sometime when I’m with you in person, ask me how, due to my mouth, I really embarrassed myself around a dozen or so people and a nurse at a hospital.) 

Scripture is clear that we need to put a guard on our mouths. There are many verses in the book of Proverbs that instruct us in being careful about what we say. Proverbs 10:19 says, “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” Proverbs 17:28 warns us that “Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.” In other words, if you want people to think you’re smart, then keep your mouth closed! Finally, Proverbs 18:20 cautions us that “With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied; He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.” 

James tells us that the tongue is restless. He says the tongue is full of deadly poison. A sobering thought is when he tells us, in James 3:6, that “the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.” So, let’s all seek to be slow to speak. 

Slow to Anger 

James then instructs us to be “slow to wrath.” Losing your temper is never a good thing. Losing your temper and getting angry can cause problems that can’t be repaired (or that are extremely difficult to resolve). James gives us this strict admonition, “For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). Ecclesiastes 7:9 tells us, “Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools.” When we allow our temper to take over, we make some bad mistakes. We say things we can’t take back. We hurt feelings and destroy the spirit of our brothers and sisters. 

The Bible gives us examples of what can happen when we lose it. When Moses lost his temper, it led to murder. He lost it again and was barred from entering the land of promise. It was anger coupled with jealousy that led Cain to kill Abel. It can cost you more than you can ever repay when you let your temper get out of hand. 

Paul wrote in Romans 12:19, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” Many times, our anger is unjust. We are the one who is wrong. We need to step back, take a deep breath, and pray. When you act from a temper that is out of control, you may do more damage and hurt more people than you can ever imagine.  Anger is an emotion. You really can’t control your emotions from happening. What you can do, and must do, is control how you handle your emotions. Paul tells us it is possible to be angry and yet not sin. Ephesians 4:26-27 tells us, “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.” 

Wow. This is good advice to start the year off with. Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. If we follow that advice, we will have a better year and a better life. 

See you next month.