QUICK TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK, VERY SLOW TO ANGER
Tuesday – February 3, 2026
Video link: https://youtu.be/2mEaSqjuDsQ
Greetings precious saints of God and welcome to this ongoing study of the Bible Book of James. Have you come with ears to hear and eyes to have eyes which see? Are you looking for information or revelation, light, to guide your life? It seems to me that this Book is among those that are straight forward and practical at first reading, studying. Now, let’s go ahead into our text for today.
James 1:18-21 (KJV)
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Does that nineteenth verse hit you like it does me right between the eyes? Today we will examine hearing, speaking, and our wrath. The following passage from Ecclesiastes is lengthy but very worthy of our time and study.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 & 6-7 (ESV)
1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.
2 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
Now to verses six and seven.
6 Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?
7 For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.
Vanity has to do with emptiness and pride. God abhors emptiness and resists the proud. I don’t want to be numbered with either. What about being slow to speak?
Proverbs 10:19-21 (ESV)
19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.
Dear ones, we must consider our words carefully before we let them fly. Once out they are irretrievable. Let’s be careful to make our words edify, build up, the hearer.
Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Now, what about being slow to wrath?
Proverbs 14:29 (ESV)
29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
I want the (a) portion of that verse to describe me not the (b) portion. Let’s examine this a little bit further in the NIV translation of James 1:19-20. The NIV translation is a balance of word for word and thought for thought. As I have mentioned before we must be very careful with translations that are not strict word for word because we all have bias and filters. Even in word for word translations be careful to know the root words in the original language.
James 1:19-20 (NIV)
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
We could say a condition acceptable to God with right doing in the eyes of God in place of the phrase “righteous life”.
TAKE HOME:
- Let’s all determine to prioritize listening over speaking.
- Let’s consider our words carefully before we let them loose.
- Let’s be very slow to anger.
Lord willing, I will resume right here tomorrow. Remember, we love you, the Lord loves you, and there is nothing you can do about either one.
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
REMINDERS
Please take a moment to share this teaching and prayerfully consideration becoming a financial partner with this ministry. Visit our store/shop on the website, register for our emails, and order the books, they also make great gifts.
CONTACT INFORMATION
CONTACT E-MAIL: pastordavidwood@gmail.com
BLOG: https://awakeariseandtriumphministries.org/
YOUTUBE: https://tinyurl.com/588t7343
RUMBLE: https://rumble.com/c/c-6530176
TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdavidrwood
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581438181109
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-r-wood-d-o-5ab7ba81/recent-activity/all/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/PastorDavidWood
WEBSITE: https://www.awakeariseandtriumphministries.org
MY BOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/2s4mb9kk
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/awakeariseandtriumphministries/
