1913) For today’s minute, I’d like to look at a familiar verse, James 1:19. Here James instructs us to be fast in listening, and slow to speak and being angry. If I take a moment and consider these, I see there’s more to it than listening and not doing the other two.  

I have found when I am angry or in the stages that precede it, I cannot listen. This part of my brain isn’t functioning at its best, if at all. I can speak at these times, however, and my words are often not helpful and can be destructive.  

If these things are true, how can God expect us to be good listeners when situations and conversations are straining us? The answer is easy to say and much harder to do. In order to listen, we may need to step back, let the hurricane of our emotions calm down, and then proceed.  

If, in the heat of the moment, I say, let’s take a moment and let this situation calm down and then revisit it when we both are able to listen and think, the results will be better than if I take action now.  

Slow can definitely be better than fast.