Reading your Bible for Today September 27

September 27: James 1:19-21

KJV Key Verse: James 1:19
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

Devotion:
I am so glad I was brought up to listen and only speak when spoken to. It may sound harsh when your parents say children should be seen and not heard, but if we have a similar attitude taught to us at an early age, then we are more likely to continue working to a similar standard in our lives. Then when we become Christians and realise that this is what the Bible would have us do as well, it all starts to make sense.

I'm not an advocate of not allowing a child to speak, but rather to get them to think about what they are about to say. Too many times we blurt out something in our lives and then want to take back the words or wish we had never said them to start will. Too many times we are putting our mouths in gear before thinking about what we are saying.

Being able to think about what you are saying leads to a better understanding of what you are going to say. It also allows you to not say spiteful and harsh things which you know are going to hurt others. Being able to guide others through the use of good words is much better than pulling them down with one harsh word. It is those harsh words that come out when we get angry... It is not anything to do with God's guidance when we allow anger to drive our lives...

But as you allow anger to bring forward the words, you begin to see just how much comes out of your mouths; words you would not want others to say to you, words that bite at your heart, words which are ready to crush others feelings. The more we reject God's Word, the more likely we are to allow our anger to surface quicker than God's will. But the closer we draw to God, the more likely we are to allow His will in our lives to come before our anger strikes out. It is The Holy Spirit who is able to allow us to see the truth and God's Word that will guide us to do what is righteousness in our lives. Being able to admit we are less than perfect is our first step toward being able to ask for God to guide our tongues; but don’t get yourself down thinking you are not worth it – God says you are!

Points to Ponder:
How often do you speak before thinking?

How often do you turn to God to ask for help before speaking?