LIFE LESSON 101
Be quick to listen – slow to speak – slow to anger.
These 3 life skills are as important as a carpenter’s hammer, power saw and measuring tape.
Imagine a professional carpenter without a hammer, a power saw, or a measuring tape.
Unthinkable!
However, a correct bag of tools doesn’t make a carpenter a good one. Take it from a basketball coach/counselor trying to remodel a basement.
Obviously, excellence in any pursuit demands having the correct tools. Skill mastery of these tools is even more important.
The beautiful and remarkable truth about God’s instruction from the holy book is that it is written so that all can fully understand. In one sentence James is able to say what a psychiatrist or psychologist would have to say in a long chapter or a three-hour session.
James says very clearly, be slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to anger.
So easy, yet so hard to do.
Slow to speak means the focus is on others and not yourself. Not a bad idea.
Quick to listen, means you are intent to hear and understand what is being said to you. Not a bad idea.
Slow to anger means you have a measure of control over your emotions.
Biblically speaking a metaphor for the tongue is a fire. As forest fires blaze across the western United States, human tongues have blazed throughout the world both internationally, individually burning and destroying relationships. Without control, the tongue is a destructive fire.
Quick to listen biblically speaking is a golden virtue call to silence. Silence is the time, the only time you learn. Speaking is giving, silence is getting. If you want to get more stop talking and listen. It’s that simple.
Slow to anger. This is the big one. The world is boiling over, boiling over with anger. America is boiling over with anger.
Rage and bitterness best describe the political scene in Washington DC, quick to listen and slow to speak do not exist
American schools have become unsafe because of many factors. To me, the starting point for positive change in schools is teaching children to be slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to anger.
The American home is on fire. Anger destroys home after home, family after family, and child after child. The divorce rate is out of control. Children do not have mentors to teach them to be slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to anger.
If each of us, today would be slow to speak, and quick to listen then it would be a good thing.
If each of us would ask three people in our circle of influence to join us in being slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to anger. I believe it would be a miracle. A new beginning in America. It can happen.
Day one: 4 people are slow to speak, quick to listen, slow to anger.
Each day for 30 days the number doubles not triples because it is likely one of the three will drop out.
By the end of 30 days, there will be proximately 10 million people practicing three important life skills.
What’s in your Lifeskills toolbox?
Will you join me today in being slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to anger?
Will you join me today and asked three other people in your world to join you in being slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to anger?
Remember the apostle Jame’s counsel, “Man’s anger never brings about the righteous life God desires.”
Read James 1:12-19
