This is the devotions page, where every so often I will update you with a short scriptural reference and study to hopefully give you a little encouragement throughout
your day. Here's the first one, taken from Day 11 of the Walk51 booklet (see links):
"QUICK TO LISTEN"
"QUICK TO LISTEN"
James 1:19b-20 “... But everyone must be quick to listen, slow to speak
and slow to anger; (20) for the anger of man does not achieve the
righteousness of God.”
Today I was going to write about “priorities”, because I seem to
struggle with the question: “What exactly are the priorities for my
life?” I know the book answer for what my priorities should be, but if
I truly wish to seek change, then I must be honest with myself and come
to an understanding that my priorities aren’t exactly lined up with
God’s priorities for me and my life. But instead of writing about
priorities and where I fail to measure up, I need to write about anger
and where I fail to measure up, because this morning I lost my cool.
Most devotions tell you “How You Can Change”, this devotion is going to
tell you “How I Need To Change”. It is my hope that by seeing the
chinks in my “so called” armor that you will be able to avoid the same
pitfalls and traps that await the Christian who is not spiritually
alert. This morning I became defensive, argumentative, and angry. I
deceived myself into thinking that my anger was justifiable and I was
absolutely wrong. I became angry because I cared more about my feelings
than I did about another person’s feelings. Anger is always selfish. By
expressing my anger in the way that I did, I failed as a Christian. My
judgment was impaired by emotion instead of being influenced by truth.
In a controversy, the instant we feel anger; we have already ceased
striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves. --
Thomas Carlyle.
James tells us in verse 19 that “everyone” should be quick to listen,
slow to speak, and slow to anger. I failed to apply this truth from
God’s Word while involved in argument this morning and chose to ride
the waves of emotion that led to anger. James gives us the best advice
in the world for avoiding such conflict; “Be quick to listen”. My
problem is that if someone is saying what I would rather not hear, I
refuse to listen and begin to think of what I am going to say in
rebuttal. That is the very beginning of an argument that leads to
anger. When we are thinking of what to say in opposition to what they
are saying, then we're NOT LISTENING, we're just justifying an
argument. Next James tells us to be slow to speak. Arguments usually
come to a point where both parties are talking at the same time. In
order for our voices to be heard we begin to raise them. When we raise
our voice, they raise theirs and anger starts to multiply. Why is it
that what we have to say seems to be more important that what they are
saying? If we are quick to listen and slow to speak, then we absolutely
will be slow to anger. The reason why anger comes on like a locomotive
is that we fail to just shut up and listen. I say we, but I mean ME.
James goes on to say in verse 20 that “the anger of a man does not
achieve the righteousness of God”. What does that mean? The word
translated achieve in the English is actually “ergazomai” in the Greek.
Ergazomai means to “work out”, “exercise”, or “perform”. When I allowed
my anger to be expressed through my emotions, words, attitudes, and
expressions, I was not “exercising” the righteousness of God. I
was “exercising” the sin nature of Buck. Whatever opportunity that I
had to reflect the person of Jesus Christ was lost the moment I became
expressively angry. I was not exercising, promoting, nor performing
the “righteousness of God” that has been given to me through faith in
Christ as a new creature. I was, however, performing and promoting my
old, selfish self in the power of flesh all because I failed to apply
TRUTH to the circumstances of my life. Therefore whatever witness I had
for Christ at that moment was lost. Good job, Buck!! My point is this,
learn from my mistakes. When you find yourself in a situation that
could become an argument and lead to anger, STOP, THINK, and APPLY
TRUTH. Be quick to LISTEN; Be SLOW to speak; and you will be SLOW to
anger. By doing this, you will be “performing” the righteousness of God
which is the attitude of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:5 “Have this
attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,.”