The second verse of this week's text (James 1:18-21) are wise words in and of themselves: "...let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger" (v.19). If you've been around Christian circles, you have probably heard these verses used to rationalize why all anger is bad, or to embrace meekness at all costs. Images of a monastery with folks who have taken vows of silence and peace come to mind. But is that all there is to these verses? We've spent the last few weeks in James, and so far chapter 1 has been all about dependence on God.
We learned to depend on God for faith and wisdom to endure trials, then to do the same regardless of our financial situation, and last week we learned how our dependence calls us to wait on God, not to shift blame to or take credit for God's blessings. So how can James 1:19-21 be used to support this general theme of dependence?
In these verses, God is giving us both an encouragement and a warning. Our response to God's implanted Word says a lot about our reliance on God and about our dependence on God as God's beloved ones. This Sunday, let's open our hearts with all of our emotions. I pray that when we do so, the parts of our heart that need cultivation would be revealed.
