Listening And Speaking

19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick 

to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; .(James 1)

In this part of chapter one James speaks some wise words to this Gramma’s mind. 

…let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak,

Just take a moment to think about that small little phrase.  

Just imagine the possibilities this idea of listening offers.

For sure, listening is absolutely crucial to any relationship or conversation.  That, I think, is why God gave us two ears and just one mouth. 

Listening is the key to all learning, understanding and growth.  

Without a keen ability to listen we become dumb — unable to speak.  At the vary least, to speak with any kind of meaning or purpose.

And yet!  Think about how often we put our mouths in gears without thinking at all.  We are so anxious to have our words, ideas and opinions heard that we begin to speak even before we are invited to.

I know I am completely guilty of that.  I find myself cutting others off in mid-sentence.  Not waiting for them to have their full say.  

I hate it when I do that!  And yet I find myself doing it anyway.  

Yikes!

We -- I -- seem to have this innate need to be heard.  And yet we -- I -- don’t give others the same privilege.

Unfortunately, slow listening and fast speaking is one of our human flaws. 

Now imagine that flaw multiplied by many — in a social group, a meeting at work, a political campaign.  Or how about a world conference where important decisions are to be made?

Or even in the simplest environment where children are learning to live together?  Say on the playground or at a friend’s home or just between siblings.  

We all learn quickly how to speak fast.

Just something to ponder as you go through your day communicating with others.  

Tomorrow I’ll tackle:  ..slow to anger; ²⁰for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. ²¹Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

God Does Not Test Us

12 Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. ¹³No one, when tempted, should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. ¹⁴But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; ¹⁵then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. ¹⁶Do not be deceived, my beloved.

17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ¹⁸In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.(James 1)

In this passage James and I do agree.

¹³No one, when tempted, should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.

I would also add:  God does not test us. 

A common way of thinking among Christians — maybe other religions as well — is that God punish us for something we have thought, or done, or said.  

What comes to my mind this morning is what, my then, husband said to me when we were facing divorce.  He said:

“I think God is punishing me for leaving you and girls.”

Now that was when I had a few years of Seminary under my belt; and my theology had become much more  gracious.  

I said to him:  “The God I believe in wouldn’t do that.”  Then quickly added:  “But I would.”

We humans have an innate need to put God into our well defined boxes.  

We forget to remember that God cannot be limited by our minds.  Our boxes are much too small for God’s mind to fit into.

It remind me of the words of a favorite hymn:

There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,

Like the wideness of the sea;

There’s a kindness in His justice,

Which is more than liberty….

There is grace enough for thousands

Of new worlds as great as this;…

For the love of God is broader

Than the measure of our mind;

And the heart of the Eternal

Is most wonderfully kind…

If our love were but more simple,

We should take Him at His word;…

But we make His love too narrow

By false limits of our own;

And we magnify His strictness

With a zeal He will not own.”…

Isaiah said it this way:

⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

   nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. 

⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

   so are my ways higher than your ways

   and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Is. 55)

The God who came to earth, in the skin of Jesus, came to tell us about his true character -- nature.  He came to help us to understand the fallacies, about him,  that had been developed over the years. 

The God I believe in would not punish, tempt or test us. 

Why would he?

Thats all I am going say about that. 

Is Being "Rich" Bad or Good

9 Let the believer who is lowly boast in being raised up, ¹⁰and the rich in being brought low, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field. ¹¹For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the field; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. It is the same with the rich; in the midst of a busy life, they will wither away.(James 1)

Does James actually mean that to be rich is somehow a detriment? A life not worthy of God’s precious care?

I wonder????

I remember, one winter day, a Seminary classmate of mine came storming into the lunchroom waving her hand above her head and saying:  “I am so sick of hearing that wealthy people are bad.”

Does the Bible really say that being rich is a bad thing? 

Or could it mean that it is how people, who find themselves, in a financially fortunate position use their wealth?  

Which this short passage does not address.

This is another example of how the Bible can be used to create problems within any given community or group.

Having said that, it is true that in the ancient cultures people with wealth tended to be quiet greedy.  

They also tended to use their wealth to gain power.  Power over the less fortunate. 

However we can say the same about wealthy people today.  Right? 

Then we would have to also say that there are many wealthy people who are very generous as well. Will they be subject to the strict code of ethics the James announces?

¹⁰and the rich in being brought low, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field.

Being rich in-and-of-itself is not bad — sinful.

So why would James leave the subject in this critical way? 

To me it makes God look like a mean, nasty, judge that points a finger of lightening down on all people who are less than poor.

This kind of message is divisive and one-sided.

What are you thinking?