James calls believers into a posture of humility that is quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. This posture reorients our hearts toward God’s righteousness rather than our own. However, true faith takes shape as we apply God’s Word to our daily lives, allowing it to root out the hardened places in our hearts that resist God’s righteous work. James therefore invites us to pay close attention to our speech, since our words reveal the desires of our hearts.