(James 1:19-20)…..So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Take a look at what is happening all around us in our society. It has made so many frustrated and angry, which I can totally understand. This time we live in seems to be a major trial for many, especially for the Christian who is trying to navigate through all the wickedness that we see these days. Yet trials and testing are designed to make us better Christians, not bitter Christians. In this passage the Lord describes to the beloved qualities needed in times of trial. We need these qualities to be happening in our life to see and hear what the Word of God is telling us
Five Qualities Of The Believer
1. We need to be a receptive audience to God’s Word
We need to be swift to hear. Hear who? The LORD! We need to hear God speak to us through His word. Trials make us a ready hearer of His Word, maybe that is one reason why God allows us to go through them. In the trials we need to have a listening ear, instead of blaming God we need to be listening to God.
2. We need to be a reluctant speaker
We need to be slow to peak. We need to do more praying and less complaining about the condition that God allows us to be in. I know it is easy to complain, and much harder to hold our tounge. God does not waste trials, but rather He uses them to tell/show us something we need. If we are not asking God for the wisdom in the trials then we are totally ignorant of what’s going on. So remember that the Word of God has a great deal to say about hearing and speaking (Proverbs 10:19) (Proverbs 13:3) (Proverbs 17:27-28) (Ecclesiastes 5:1-2).
3. We need to be a slow responder
The anger being presented here is the anger that produces grumbling against God because the trial we are in, or criticism of fellow believers that produces resentment toward others. So when we are angry we must ask ourselves “Am I angry because this upsets me?” “Am I angry because this goes against something I want?” (Hebrews 12:3-11). James says our wrath of man will not produce the righteousness of God. What is the righteousness of God? It is a life that is in agreement with God. A life that is consistent with His ways. A life lived within the context of God’s will and purpose. How should the believer deal with wrath? Read: (Proverbs 14:17;29) (Galatians 5:19-21) (Ephesians 4:26-31) (Colossians 3:8). Having said this it must also be said that there is a place for a certain kind of anger. Righteous anger! (John 2:13-17) (Ephesians 4:26). In both testaments God is presented as a God of anger as well as a God of love (Isaiah 5:25) (Romans 1:18). How do we reconcile those passages which demand that we put away wrath with those that show that it is o.k. for God to be angry? God’s wrath (anger) is always a just response to evil For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God
4. We need to lay aside all filthiness and wickedness
This means to take off or shed, it implies getting rid of something that is not useful, and not beneficial to you. The word filthiness is a medical term referring to wax in the ears. Just as excess of wax in our ears keeps us from hearing properly, so filthiness in our lives keeps us from hearing God properly.
5. We need to be a meek receiver of the implanted Word
Some have heard the Word of God all our lives but we have never received it. God desires us to have a teachable spirit. Are you teachable? When we receive God’s Word with meekness we are willing to hear our faults and desire to be molded and formed by the doctrines and precepts of the Gospel. God’s implanted Word will change us through its power (1 Thessalonians 2:13) (1 Peter 1:22-25).