James 1:19-27

James 1:19-27

19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

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This is something that has been on my heart today. Listen before speaking, slow to anger. Keeping your mouth shut about certain things... This is something I have slowly gained a personal conviction about. So many are quick to judge the facts in front of them when they don't know all the facts. They don't seek out the truth and anger quickly rather then looking at the whole situation. Where has your tongue led you? Has it led others astray? Have you taken a half truth and gotten angry only to find out later it wasn't the whole story at all and then needed to apologize to people? I don't claim to be perfect, I am far from it but lately I realized that listening is better than speaking. Going to the person is better then talking to others and letting things go is a better solution then being angry. Bite your tongue is wise, listening is even wiser.