"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." James 1:19
In my own life's experiences, when I think about the above verse from the Book of James, I readily invite others to treat me in the manner listed above when I mess up and need to make amends. I want the afflicted person to "hear me out" first, then sparsely provide their feedback or reprimand, and lastly I want the injured party to forgive me with no restrictions and in a brotherly manner. Does that sound similar to your own way of thinking? Or maybe I'm in that small minority of individuals that mess up way too often and the majority of our reading audience seldom need forgiveness or mercy and grace because you rarely mess up? That may sound a bit sarcastic, yet taking a survey of the current culture we are living in, I'd wager a bet that there are many more folks out there that intentionally or unknowingly live a little more in line with this way of thinking: "Be slow to hear what others have to say. Be quick to voice your own opinions. Be quick to accuse, argue, and fight." I can't provide a source for this one, but I can guarantee you I didn't find it in the Bible. As a matter of fact this line of thinking is so counterintuitive to the life and teachings of our model example, Jesus. Where did things go sideways? I'm not sure I could do that question justice, but the harsh reality is that society today has gone counter to the culture of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the evidence can be seen without a magnifying glass.
It isn't hard to find evidence to support my appraisal of society today. Turn your TV on, scroll through your social media posts, or go attend any youth or adult sporting event. The whole quick to listen and slow to anger mindset takes the back seat to more of a me first ideation of I don't need to hear what you are saying because you are wrong, and if you disagree with what I have to say then you are obviously a bad person that I don't want to engage in conversation. Additionally, our society has become increasingly self-focused, leading many people to believe that if others would simply adopt their perspective, they would finally feel validated and vindicated. That my friends is not in line with the life that Jesus modeled for us. I'd go as far to say that the life that Jesus lived would be counterculture to what is prevalent in society today.
Example in point, reflect on the story where Jesus was asked by an angry mob about whether they should stone a woman to death or not due to her adulterous sins. For me, the scene and the response of Jesus is one of those cinema graphic moments that would rival Dirty Harry's "Go ahead, make my day" or the Outlaw Josey Wales, "Dying ain't much of a living" lines from Hollywood. The angry mob was quickly silenced when instead of blurting out a condemnation Jesus paused and knelt down to the ground. Not saying a word, Jesus picked up a stick and started stirring around in the dirt. I'm sure the crowd was still thinking that any moment Jesus was going to say "rock on" or something like that, yet he continued to stir the sandy surface. My thought, Jesus had surely heard the evidence of the woman's sin through the shouts and condemnations of the crowd, so instead of joining the crowd, Jesus was being slow to speak and slow to join in the anger of the mob. After thinking through His response, Jesus stood up and addressed the question to which he had been refuted "Alright then, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone." John 8:7. And how did the angry mob respond? They stopped, reflected, and then one by one they dropped their stones and left the woman standing there alone with only Jesus in the space. Jesus asked her where all her accusers went and she replied that they had left. Jesus then told the woman that neither did He condemn her and then prompted her to go and sin no more. Wow, in the world we live today the angry mob would have turned to anarchy if "justice" had not been carried out immediately in the exact way that they would feel was the "right" thing to do. Their right thing to do. Yet that does not make it the right thing to do. Actually, the culture that Jesus was modeling was one of self-reflection before self-proclamation.
So, if my synopsis on society today is accurate and if today's rallying cries are "guilty until proven innocent" or "act now and we will get answers that support our stance later" what offer to revive more of the culture of the lifestyle of Jesus could be offered. Well, in Galatians 5:22-23 we are encouraged to partake in the fruit of the Spirit which includes: love, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If you poured that list of virtues in a blender, I believe the outcome would be a combination of restraint, empathy, and compassion for our fellow man. Unfortunately, at current this is really counter to the accepted culture of the day. But to not be fatalistic, we have the recipe on how to return to a society that listens twice as much as we speak, (two ears, one mouth mindset), and a people that are slower to anger and quicker to consider. Today's culture may be counter to the life Jesus lived, yet we have the ability to counter today's culture to one that more closely aligns with the life of Jesus Christ.
Coach Carter
