Be Slow James 1:19, 2019 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  The day that we live in, we have more access and hear more in a day than our past generations would hear in a lifetime. I’ve hear that over six trillion emails are sent in a year. Probably by the writing of this, it is even more. Every twelve months, knowledge is doubling. In reality, we just can’t keep up. We are hearing and receiving information in “real time.” We have multiple screens rolling across our tv screens as we listen to a talking head who tells us yet another happening different than all the rolling sidebars on the screen. We have developed into a culture who is easily distracted. We look at people and things happening around us, yet honestly, we may not really see much of anything that is happening. Wired up, overly caffeinated and tuned in with a cell phone glued to one of our hands. Bob Moorehouse wrote an essay called The Paradox of Our Time. It’s worth a listen. “We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. we’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.” All of this is true, yet the one line, “We’ve conquered outer space but not inner space,” always reaching for more, bigger, stronger, speedier. We’ve done and conquered so much as the human race, but inner space is something else. I don’t think we’re even inching our way to conquering that. Our human hearts seem just as unruly as they’ve ever been. Let’s get honest with ourselves, the real battle of life is found on the inside of us, not the outside. Our verses for today address the question, how do you respond when the heat of life is turned up and the pressure is building, building, and you realize you are about to blow your stack? “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.” Practicing this verse every day is our great challenge. Here are three things to practice and apply today and every day: 1. James 1:19a, “Be quick to hear.” Listening more and talking less is great wisdom. Listen to God and His Word daily. Hear, memorize, read, study the Word of God. 2. Slow to speak. Talk less. Ecclesiastes 5:2 tells us, “God is in heaven, and you are on earth. Therefore, let your words be few.” Who can argue with that? 3. Be slow to anger, James 1:19c. Don’t get all worked up in your rage. We all get angry, even the best of us. Anger is a deeper emotion which, when released is like an erupting volcano that spits out red-hot lava all over your life. Anger is totally under our control. God can help us as we daily look to Him. What about you? Would you rather be known as a fighter/warrior or as a wise, patient person? The choice is always ours, and with the help of the Lord we are well able to live up to our verses for today. Have a blessed day in Him.      

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