Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
My Thoughts: Being able to communicate well is a very important skill. Yet, a key component of communication is listening. I’m ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). So, I am not wired to pay attention to just one stimulus at a time, especially focusing on what someone is saying to me. I really have to work at being an active listener. In elementary school I was given many exercises on reading and writing, but the only exercise I had to help me listen was sitting in an uncomfortable desk and hearing...
In James 1, James connects anger to a lack of listening. This is so true. Have you ever found yourself getting frustrated and even angry with a person who constantly finishes your sentences for you or just plain talks over you. In Stephen Covey’s book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” he explains that putting into practice what James says is crucial to communication and cooperative synergy. To seek first to understand before being understood. My tendency is to seek first to be understood. To get my point across before listening to the other person and even then I’m not really listening. I’m formulating my next point in my head while they’re speaking. I have wasted so much time in communication that goes nowhere or worse, goes completely South because I did not listen first before speaking. However, I am learning that by actively listening in order to understand, I am engaging in much, much fewer arguments.
Application: All relationships. These verses impact my heart and mind.
Note: I skipped days 27-29 due to being ill the last few days. I will try to get back to those days at the end of this series.
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