Listen and Learn

Welcome to another Daily Encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our reading is titled, Listen and Learn, and it was written by Ann Cetus. On one side of the street, a homeowner displays in his yard a giant blow-up bald eagle draped in a US flag. A big truck sits in the driveway.

Its side window features a painted flag and the back bumper is covered with patriotic stickers. Directly across the street in a neighbor's yard are signs that highlight the slogans for current social justice issues in the news. Are the people in these homes feuding or friends, we might wonder?

Is it possible that both families are believers in Jesus? God calls us to live out the words of James chapter 1 verse 19. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Too often, we stubbornly hold on to our opinions and aren't willing to consider what others are thinking. Matthew Henry's commentary has this to say, We should be swift to hear reason and truth on all sides, and be slow to speak. And, when we do speak, there should be nothing of wrath. Someone has said, Learning requires listening. The practical words from God in the book of James can only be accomplished if we're filled with God's loving Spirit and choose to respect others. He's willing to help us make changes in our hearts and attitudes.

Are we open to listen and learn? Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from James chapter 1 verses 19 through 27. My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves.

Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it, not forgetting what they have heard but doing it, they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves and their religion is worthless.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this, to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. Let's pray. Lord, we live in such a polarized world in which there's a lot of yelling but very little listening and none of us are immune to it. When we're in a situation in which we disagree with someone else, we pray that you would remind us of James 1-19. May we have humble and teachable hearts that seek to understand more than we seek to be understood. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.