Chapter 6: Communication Keys: How to Listen and Speak
James 1:19-20 says:
“Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
This verse could have been put under the previous Listening instruction, but now we come to the part of our list that is Speaking Instructions… And it is definitely applicable to our instruction to Speak, when we are Not Reacting.
To react is to act in a particular way as a direct result of something else. We react when something “triggers us” to speak, often without forethought, and usually without wisdom.
In the past, the Spirit told me “Respond Not React.” Those were His three words given. So, I pondered them at that time, and I realized that “reaction” takes the bait of Satan, which is offense. Reacting causes our emotions to rule over our wisdom.
We Respond – in the Spirit, but We React – in the flesh. This means we give place to our carnal nature, and the nature of God within us is not given place.
The Lord would have each of us speak only when we know our words are both under our control and under the Holy Spirit’s control; otherwise, we’ll have to do “damage control”!
Yes, indeed! Reacting causes severe damage in communications, whether at home, work, or play. We should just “bite our tongue” and “be still” instead of reacting in speech.
Many an employee has been “fired” because he or she spoke while reacting to a correction or reprimand, or reacting to something they didn’t like.
The tongue needs to be tamed…
Christians, we must become mindful of our reacting… even if we are reacting toward evil, or toward a gross injustice. We must NOT SPEAK when we’re reacting.
Community meetings, school district meetings, and annual church business meetings have been a breeding ground for speech that was reacting. People’s emotions speaking vs discretionary speech loomed 10 to 1. Satan laughing and having a heyday as division worsened! Instead of agreement and unity coming about, based on words of wisdom being spoken, heated emotions were expressed, and divisions came.
We must always take a moment…to get our souls quieted and made submissive to the Spirit of God within us… before we speak. He does not want us taking the bait of Satan and “reacting”!
This is important, no matter where our communications are taking place…and is important with whomever we may speak.