…
slow to respond… (James 1:19)
“Slow to respond” speaks to the relationship
you should have with the person who is standing before you. This advice is not,
“be timid in your obedience when you understand God’s will.” Quite the
opposite, the author encourages you to listen carefully, seeking simply to
understand, and asking the Holy Spirit to lead you to a proper response –
rather than to respond before God speaks.
As you listen to your people, with genuine
concern, you evidence that you care for the person and for their condition.
Listening with such concern is a way of helping another feel that they are not
alone. It can validate them as members of a community, and tell that person,
“We are in this together,” long before the first word you say in response.
“Slow to respond,” means, “listen long enough” for the Lord to work in you and
in the other person.
Love your people enough to listen to them in
a way that helps them understand how much you care. Remember that your active
listening may communicate concern more effectively than your words or answers.
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