Tag: James 1:19-20

Be Slow to Take Offense

‘Let every man be quick to listen,slow to speak and slow to anger.’

– James 1:19

But why is it so difficult to be slow to offend?

What open wounds

Exposed to hot knives

Have taken me there?

The bitter taste

of resentment

Still on my tongue

If pushing my buttons were a sport

I would lose every time.

Each imagined slight

Or real live betrayal

Has no sliver of light between them

They merge

And become one

And all the lines blur

It’s all very well

To advise

But when

that button is

so vunerable…

When it feels like everyone finds it

temptingly delicious to push…

I need to take responsibilty

For how I feel.

‘Human anger does not produce the righteousness

that God desires.’ – James 1:20

I need to understand why it feels how it feels.

It feels nasty, disconnected, like I’m outside myself.

Like I’m not there anymore.

‘Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in the mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.’

-James 1:23 -24

That’s exactly what it feels like!

Feelings of hurt and anger sometimes makes us feel disconnected.

They alienate us from our our basic selves. But wait a minute, I need hope that I can be slow to offend. Can you give me that?

‘Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.’ – James 1:4

I get it. Now there is understanding and hope for change.

But where is the unconditional love, where is the hug that I so desperately need?

‘If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.’

-James 1:5

And suddenly all the heat of the anger melts away and in its place is the warmth of the hug.

Slow To Anger

Insults will put you down

If you let them

A jibe here

A stab there

But a criticism

Or an inneundo

Like a rotting wInter leaf

Before spring

Can sail away on the wind

If you’re slow to take offense

It’s tiring to be offended

Day after day

An exhausting round

Of mind games

Of word wars

Of battles that can’t be seen

Blood shed covertly

Will hurt just as much

But they know not what they do

Accept failure of others

Even if they can’t keep their hurt in

Long enough

To keep from hurting you

Sometimes, it’s not personal

If a glass falls

Its many shards will scatter

In all directions

And chances are

One or two willl cross your path

But sometimes, it is personal

Smiles and knives have been sharpened over time

And tipped with poison

With you in mind

Perhaps for many years

And expertedly pointed

At your back

For a well aimed

Well planned

Bullseye!

But whether it’s wrong time, wrong place

Or accidently on purpose

You can nurse a slight all day

And all it does is take away

From what is important

To you and your life.