Fruitful Communication // James 1:19

How do you read today’s verse? Does it strike you that James connects listening, speaking, and anger? I think if you spend some time in reflection, you will see how frequently anger arises in relationships. This brings to mind the classic line from the movie, Cool Hand Luke: “What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.” It’s no mystery that communication problems are a major source of consternation in our relationships; in fact, a 2013 survey indicated it is the leading cause of divorce with 67.5% of couples reporting it as the impetus for their split. The reason wisdom from today’s verse is so profound gets back to the idea of speaking and listening. Are you truly listening while in conversation or are you already formulating your response? Tempers rise if you aren’t listening to truly understand what the other is saying. Once one person’s anger increases, the natural response is for the other to meet it, and maybe even beat it. I think it’s appropriate to mention the ole adage here that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason, to listen twice as much as we speak. So, as we consider that in light of our verse from James 1:19, let’s make a commitment to more fruitful communication.