December 29, 2020
Listen More, Speak Less
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. (James 1:19 NLT)
My child, the more you walk the walk, the less you have to talk. Practice what you preach! Many years ago, walking through a very challenging family situation, I stopped and prayed before moving forward. Very clearly, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper in that still small voice the instructions I needed:
1. Keep your mouth shut
2. Be the peacemaker
3. Walk-in love.
There were heated moments among family members; however, I was able to respond, not react. I remained calm, kept my mouth shut, was the peacemaker in the situation, and walked in love. I saw the hand of God at work, and He turned everything the enemy meant for harm around for my good and His glory. (Romans 8:28)
A good leader encourages others by listening, not by speaking. As a leader, you must become less self-centered, withhold criticism, stay calm, and listen with empathy. People could care less about how much you know; they want to know that you really do care, so be a keen listener. There is healing power in listening; then, you act on what we hear.
James, the servant of the Lord, teaches us that “human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So, get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives. Humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. However, don’t just listen to God’s word. You must activate it in your own life. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. If you listen to the word and don’t obey – it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget how you look! But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. (James 1:20-27 NLT) I challenge you to apply James 1:20-27 to your life. We are given much wisdom from James. “Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.”
