BE QUICK TO HEAR
Dr. Mike Okonkwo
Tuesday 14 May 2019
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”
James 1:19 (KJV)
Someone once said that God gave everyone two ears and one mouth because He wants us to listen more than we speak. This may sound funny, but I believe God is calling the Church to listen more to Him than talking.
We are in a fast-paced world, and many people are doing more talking than listening and that is the reason for the increased conflicts the world over. Recently, my sister and I were talking and we both concluded that many conflicts are a result of ‘Chinese Whispers.’ Chinese Whispers is the game where you give a piece of information to someone and you ask them to pass it from one person to another over a long chain. At the end of the chain, you ask the last person to repeat what he or she was told, and you would discover that what the person says is so different from your original communication. Why? Was it that someone lied along the line? No! Was it that someone deliberately distorted the information? No! The challenge is that most people do not listen. They assume they know what you are about to say, and they have a ready answer for you.
Are you like that? When you are meant to be listening, you are rehearsing your response and just waiting for the person to finish speaking and you blurt out what is in your mind and not what the person said; because in reality, you did not listen. If you are like that, make up your mind TODAY to make a change.
Our scripture for today admonishes us to be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath. Being slow to wrath is also very important. Don’t be quick-tempered. You have authority over your own actions, guard your actions well. Don’t say: ‘It is my nature’, No, it is not. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17). You can control your temper and drop excessive anger. There is nothing you do today that you do not have control over, so learn to take responsibility. Be a worthy ambassador of Christ and let His light shine through you.
Further reading: James 1: 13-20
Daily Bible Reading: Morning- 2 Kings 19-21; Evening- John 4:1-30
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