James 1:19-20
“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.”
James gives his readers three directives in these verses, each one leading to the next. Truly listening to God and to others starts with our own humility – acknowledging that we don’t know what we don’t know. Human anger is rooted in pride and sin, not love and righteousness. Let these verses set the tone for your posture in conversations surrounding racism and injustice.
Respond in Prayer
If you find yourself becoming angry, defensive or dismissive with regard to issues of systemic racism and injustice in our world, spend some time now addressing that with God. How can being quicker to listen to God and others help you become slower to get angry? Ask God to give you a humble heart and to rid you of the kind of anger that doesn’t bring about His righteousness. See this article for further reading on righteous anger vs. human anger.
For Families with Kids at Home
Today, pray that your kids would grow to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Pray that they would be people who have righteous anger that comes from God, not human anger that comes from the flesh.