Verse: James 1:19
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
Devotion
Our theme this week is patience. Let’s start the week thinking about being patient with each other.
Schedules, to-do lists, syllabi, chores, calendars—all of these can get in the way of being present in relationships. No matter what your stage of life—if you are in school, or working from an office, or working from home, or running the home—it is all too easy to let our tasks come before people.
Today, let’s all take this challenge: we will intentionally be present in our conversations. I love this verse because it challenges me to the core: “be quick to listen” and be “slow to speak.” That is an incredible way to be patient and present in our conversations.
With your friends today what if you really focused on listening instead of speaking? With your spouse? Your kids? Your co-workers?
You know what helps you to listen? Asking questions. What if when your co-worker comes up to you today, you ask some real questions and then listen without getting distracted by your phone? In fact, how about this addition:
“Quick to listen, quick to ask questions, slow to speak, slow to look at your phone!”
Will you join me in this challenge today? I wonder what we’ll learn from the people in our lives when we really listen? I wonder how we will make them feel? I also wonder how difficult we will find it! Let’s learn patience this week, one conversation at a time.
Prayer
I pray, Lord, a very dangerous prayer: teach me patience.
Author: Christian Dunn
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