In this video, Dr. Chuck talks about the power of our words, and how things often said without thinking can have harmful consequences. He emphasizes the importance of stopping and listening to God before answering.
Dr. Chuck: Here’s today’s spoonful of courage. James 1:19 reminds us, “know this, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. For the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God”.
You know, we’re living in an unparalleled, unprecedented, perilous times. I mean we think about all the events of 2020, the coronavirus, the riots in the streets, and then on the other side we have people that have attacked the capitol at a time when we were trying to certify an election, and so, thinking about these things, you know, it seems like our culture has gotten things just the opposite; we’re quick to get angry, we’re quick to say something without stopping and listening, and here the Book of James reminds us of the power of our words. And we think about this last year, how many words have been spoken out of anger? Have been spoken without really thinking about the consequences of those words and the consequences they would have on other people? Here James reminds us to be quick to hear, be slow to speak, and be very slow to answer.
I want remind you of another verse in Isaiah, chapter 50, verse four, it says this: “The Lord has given me the tongue of those who are taught that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary. Morning by morning he wakens, he wakens my ear to hear, as those who are taught.
It’s interesting here that the prophet Isaiah reminds us that God is constantly speaking to us, and we need to be quick to hear, first of all, what God says, not what the media says or what someone else says, but to really stop and to listen to God, to realize that he’s speaking to us through his word. He’s speaking to us through our circumstances, he’s speaking to us through other people, and he’s speaking to us by the Holy Spirit, who is guiding us and directing us, and so we, you know, if we stop and listen to God and then begin to stop and hear other people out, it doesn’t mean we have to agree with what they say, and then we filter through what God says, we’re going to be a lot better off, you know, but he has given us this instructive tongue. He’s given us his ability to listen to what he says and then to be slow to speak before we say things, to really think about the effect that it’s going to make. Is this going to inflame the issue? Is this going to cause more anger, more dissension, more problems? Or is this going to be something that promotes peace and, you know, establishes the greater kingdom, the kingdom of God? And then finally, to be slow to anger.
So I want you think about James 1:19 now and what we’re facing in our culture. To be quick to hear, to be slow to speak and be slow to anger. I’m Doctor Page, the best guy to see on the worst day of your life.
For more on the topic of the power of words can have in our everyday life, check out an interview with Bruce Pulver by clicking the button bellow.
For more Spoonfuls of Courage, check out Dr. Chuck’s show Spoonful of Courage TV or buy the books A Spoonful of Courage for the Sick and Suffering: Transforming Your Greatest Challenges into Your Biggest Blessings and Spoonful of Courage: Equations to Find Grace in Life’s Challenges on Amazon.
