James 1.19-20
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
Wise people press pause, and then think and pray before speaking. They are reflective, thoughtful, and intentional about what they say. They seek God’s wisdom. Foolish people are impetuous and reactionary. They do not press pause. They are impulsive and impetuous about giving their opinion. They do not seek God’s wisdom. They are quick to speak without thinking.
Many today do the exact opposite of what James teaches. They are slow to hear, quick to speak, and quick to anger. Even a cursory scan of social media and editorial columns in the corporate press reveals a torrent of impetuous, even abusive, commentary … and it is ripping our nation apart.
Proverbs 15.28 warns about this very thing: “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.”
Again, what we need to do is press pause, think, and pray before we speak, write, or post. Pressing pause before you speak does two things for you:
- It gives you space to gain clarity about whatever situation you are experiencing.
- It helps you convert an impulsive reaction into an intentional response.
Pressing pause is a mental and spiritual discipline that gives you space to clarify what’s going on around you (situational awareness), and what’s going on within you (self-awareness). It gives you space to allow the truth of scripture and the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide you. Your first reaction isn’t always your best response. Pressing pause helps you see with clarity and respond with godly discipline.
We’ve all had the experience. You are upset about someone or something, and you type an angry—even scathing—email. Before you hit the “send” button, the wise and godly thing to do is press pause, think, and pray. Examine the what, why, and how of your message. If you do that, most of the time you will see the ineffectiveness of your message and recognize the damage it would do, and you don’t hit the send button.
A similar thing happens in marriage and parenting, does it not? Your spouse says something that irritates you, and your first reaction is an emotion-driven impulse to snap back at them. Or your teenager does something or says something that gets under your skin, and you have a very strong urge to “give them a piece of your mind.”
Proverbs 29.20 makes it crystal clear: “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
Great power resides in trusting God, pressing pause, praying for wisdom, and responding with discipline. The Lord is calling.
