19 My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

As soon as I read the first verse, I thought: “Argh – why did I get this passage?” Be slow to speak? It’s my job to speak, and I’ve always got too many words! But of course, it’s also my job to listen – and that’s something God calls all of us to do.

I realised, though, that the big problem James is addressing isn’t talking too much. It’s anger – and what’s going on in our hearts. I can relate uncomfortably well with the three things James links together: not listening, opening your mouth too fast, and being hot-tempered. I wonder if you know that feeling of sudden, hot anger surging up inside you – and then shooting off your mouth with words that you regret later? It’s like Jesus said in Luke 6:45: “For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.”

One common piece of advice for parents, when your kids do something that makes you mad, is to breathe deeply and count to 10 before you respond. But it turns out that we need to practise that in all our relationships – and not just counting, but genuinely listening to the other person to see whether we’ve really understood them.

As I reflected more, the thing I loved most in these verses was the way James doesn’t just say, “Do better!” Behind these instructions, there’s a deep awareness of how the gospel transforms us so that we want to love what God loves and we want to hate what God hates. After he tells us not to get angry, James gives the reason: “for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires” (v. 20). That’s why I don’t want to lose my temper and be hot-headed – because I want to be righteous in my behaviour! Does God desire patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control? Of course he does (Galatians 5:22-23) – so, because Jesus has rescued me, that’s what I want too.

That’s how God works in us, as we understand and believe the gospel. And in v. 21, it applies to all the “moral filth” that the world and our own sinful natures tell us to indulge in. If you’ve received Christ as Lord, you may still struggle with those desires. But that’s the point: you’ll struggle against them! You know that your precious Saviour loves righteousness, so you’ll never be happy or unconcerned and carefree with a life of wilful sin.

That new longing for what God’s loves doesn’t come from you. It comes from humbly believing the gospel of Jesus – “the word planted in you, which can save your souls.”

Does that longing describe you? Whatever business you need to do with God – with your words and anger, or anything else – do it now, and also share it with a minister or close friend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.