So then my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. James 1:19

There are three distinct actions here. They are in this particular order for a very good reason. If I am quick to hear, then I’ll be slower to speak and ultimately slower to be angry. Makes sense doesn’t it; too bad most of us are swift to speak, slow to hear, and swift to become angry. But that doesn’t surprise our all knowing Father; it is the reason He has given us His gracious instructions.

For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. James 1:20

Our wrath, even our ‘justified’  wrath, never produces the righteousness of God. And His righteousness is what we are to produce because of the life that lives within us.

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and abundance of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls. James 1:21

THEREFORE; since wrath doesn’t produce His righteousness…we are to RECEIVE…the implanted word with meekness. We are not to ‘give’ anything (our words or our anger). This is a word we don’t hear very often, so I looked it up. Meekness is defined as, “a disposition to be patient and longsuffering; submissive humbleness.” Could it be that when we receive the Word meekly, we are much more apt to listen attentively, realizing that we have nothing more important to offer than what we are hearing?

But be doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving, your own selves. James 1:22

After and only after we’ve been a ‘hearer’, we are to be a ‘doer’. As important as the first step is, God wastes no time as He tells us through James that we are never to stop at that point. Will simply hearing of the grace of God bring a sinner to heaven? The ‘doing’ of the word will show the power of the Word that has been received and implanted. If His word is set in firmly and established securely, we will be moved by it. If then we say we’ve heard, but do nothing about the precious truth, we have succeeded only in deceiving ourselves.

For Today: Do you apply these instructions to the people in your life? Are you characterized as someone swift to hear or swift to speak? Which one do you prefer when you are sharing your heart?