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James 1:19-20
19 Wherefore
20 For
19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. NASB
Those who speak quickly in a knee jerk fashion, are generally the same as those who are easily angered. Quick to speak, quick to react in anger or defensiveness. The defensive person is typically shallow and therefore easily offended. They take offense at nearly anything.
There are typically four temperament categories of people.
First, are those who are easily exasperated, but easily placated
Second, those who are easily angered, and difficult to be settled down.
Third, those who are not easily annoyed, but are difficult to be quieted down.
Fourth, those who are not easily annoyed, and are easily calmed down.
Our passage speaks to the fourth category. Open your ears and listen, set your mind at ease and consider, and do not be quick to react in either anger or defensiveness.
Maturity gives you the resources to deal with life without losing your temper, without losing your poise, and certainly without badgering, or ridiculing, or putting someone else down.
The first three categories of people have little if any inner resources. They are filled with insecurities and instabilities. Everything in life is a personal threat to them. And, as our passage states, they cannot possibly grow up spiritually to maturity if they do not begin to use their mind before using their mouth.
Remember, you are dust, just like everyone else. Dust cannot possibly insult, to any degree, any other dust. What is accomplished? Does a worm gain an advantage over another worm by telling him, 'You are slimier than I?'
All insults, all anger, all sin as it were, are direct insults toward God, and the manifestation of ones stupidity.
Bible study replaces ones shallowness with maturity, and poise, and most important, a relaxed mental attitude toward life in general. More often, the serious things of this world aren't really that serious. People simply take themselves too seriously. What is serious, is ones salvation escape from the Lake of Fire, and ones spiritual maturity and related eternal blessings.
