James, a little book of wisdom: Listen!

Today’s wisdom:

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:19-21

My random musings:

I have a lot to say. Anyone who knows me knows this. I think a lot and speak a lot. In fact, I do my best thinking out loud.

Does that make me a bad listener? Possibly. Probably. 

I have had to learn how to listen. It’s a work in progress.

I’m beginning to realise how important listening is. After all, I love to be listened to and there are certain people who are great listeners: people who aren’t just waiting for me to take a breath so they can jump in with their own stories, people who don’t try to fix things, people who listen attentively and remember what I’ve said. I love speaking to those kind of people. It’s a wonderful feeling to have been heard.

And so I am trying to be that kind of listener. I’m working on it. I’m recognising that everyone has a story to tell and everyone needs to be heard. Everyone needs the space and attention and time to be truly listened to.

I’m trying to allow God the space to speak to me too. I’m trying to listen rather than talking all the time. I don’t know it all. And knowledge is very different from wisdom anyway. Wisdom involves slowing down: allowing space to listen and observe, being slow to speak and slow to anger. None of this comes easily to me. I’m naturally impatient. 

So slow to anger? Again, I’m working on it! Certain statements and attitudes trigger something inside me and I go into rage mode, my kids would say. They’re super sensitive and rage mode does not involve screaming and hitting and breaking things, just to be clear. I am not the Hulk. But yes, there are many things I hear and see and read that make me angry – and rightly so, because much of this is around how people are treated and injustice and oppression. However, being slow to anger, that’s the key: not reacting in the moment, but sitting with it for a while. Listening to what that anger is actually telling me and working out how to best respond, if indeed a response is called for.

All of this can be learnt, I believe that. As I aim to live rooted in God and humbly aware of my own frailty and vulnerability and weaknesses, it’s the word of God at work in me that can bring about transformation. I can walk away from the things and people that bring out the worst in me. There is so much out there, so many voices encouraging us to take offence and feel entitled and embrace a ‘us and them’ mentality for a start, voices that stir up disagreement and fear and anger. Wisdom is about seeing these voices and influences for what they are – even if they parade as godly.

My questions for you:

What is God challenging you about here? What kind of listener are you and in what ways do you need to change?