Doesn’t The Bible Seem Difficult At Times?
Got your attention?
The home group I am participating in (which is the most awesome one ever) is going through the book of James right now…and a few weeks ago we began in chapter one. DUH!
James is a challenging book in itself…but there are two verses in the first chapter that bother me—I mean they REALLY bother me…it’s a pretty easy verse to memorize…but extremely hard to apply, here we go…
“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” James 1:19-20
Don’t you just hate that? And don’t go “holier than thou” on me—no one, I mean NO ONE reads those verses and goes, “yes—I WANT to do that right there.” Don’t get me wrong…I think it’s a great idea…it totally makes sense…but it goes against everything that is within me as a human being—let’s walk through it, shall we?
Be quick to…LISTEN! WHAT? How hard is it to listen when you are sitting in a room, maybe a meeting, and someone says something that you KNOW is wrong…you feel your temperature begin to rise…you lip starts to quiver…you MUST say something and so you do—and don’t even let the other person finish making their point. You immediately feel a sense of relief…until the person looks at you like you are stupid and says, “I was getting there before you interrupted me.”
(What I find is that many times I have stopped listening and am preparing my argument against that person—so if I don’t blurt something out…I have cut them off in my mind.)
This is especially challenging in a marriage for the men. I heard it said once that “women are sensors, men are solvers.” Women want to express their emotions…they want to give the man insight into how they are feeling—the man, who does NOT like this part of the verse, he simply wants to solve the problem…and so when she is halfway through the story he quickly lists several things she can do to make her world a better place to live in—but in reality all she wanted him to do is listen because she has the answer figured out.
“Slow to…SPEAK.” WHAT? This is tough…and it sort of ties in with quick to listen…many times we want to be quick to speak because we think we have the answers. I get very nervous around people who are always quick to speak. And all leaders have this issue to work through at one time or another.
“Slow to become…ANGRY” WHAT? I don’t want to be slow with my anger…I want to be fast. When someone pulls out in front of me…I want to be angry RIGHT THEN! I don’t want to consider that they might not have seen me. I don’t want to stop and think about the fact that they might be in a hurry to get somewhere. I don’t want to stop and think about the fact that they could have 5 kids in the car and they just want to get home as quickly as possible! I want to be angry!!!
But Scripture tells us we need to be slow with our anger…it doesn’t say anger is wrong…but that it needs to be a process so that all things can be considered.
I have had to learn that unjustified anger does not lead to righteousness—ever.
Just some insight into my world today.
Marathon update: More people joined us for the run today…we actually had two dudes show up today—the men are stepping up! YEAH!