June 21

My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, — Jas 1:19 BSB

We miss a great deal in life by not being good listeners. The world is full of beautiful sounds—birdsong, the chirping of insects, the soft murmur of nature, the wind breathing through the trees, the rippling of waters. Yet some people go through the fields and forests without hearing a single melodious note. In the same way, God is constantly speaking to us—through our conscience, His Word, and the gentle voice of His Spirit—but many of us miss this divine speech entirely.

We should train ourselves to listen, to hear, and to be “quick to listen.” We learn by hearing. Truth comes to us from all directions. There is nothing so humble or small that it cannot carry a message for us.

If we don’t go through life listening, we may miss many rich lessons and turn away, unaware, from angels who come from God with a message for us.