# Slow to speak: does it mean, not speak much?



## cris

Hello my friends and brothers,

I have a question regarding James 1:19, which is:

*Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger*

Does it mean, we are suppose to not talk so much? 
How do you interpret this verse?

Because I know that are many Christians who talk more and they would object to this interpretation.
Or "just" that we are to consider carefully what we are gonna say?

Do you know a good study/sermon/book about speech?

Thank you so much
Cristian


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## Tim

Good question, Cristian.

I take "slow to speak" to mean that we must carefully consider what we say before we actually say it...so that our words will be kind, helpful, encouraging, truthful. A person who speaks quickly will often say things that they wish they had not. This is definitely the case for me - I am still learning.


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## Jack K

Context always.

The immediate context, within this verse and the following one, is about speaking rashly in anger and being quick-tempered: "...for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (v. 20). Better to listen well, unselfishly, before lashing out at someone in angry criticism.

The larger context of this part of James is about not just our words but the word of God in us. We must hear God's word, which is received "with meekness" (v. 21), and do it. This is in contrast to the person who "does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart" (v. 26). James agrees with Jesus that what a man says closely agrees with what's happening in his heart. A man in whom God's word has taken root is not arrogant and will not speak the first thing that occurs to him, but rather will consider his words carefully.

Well, this is a good proverb for all of us, isn't it? I think it might apply in part to chatterboxes, if their constant talking is a sign that their hearts lack the meekness of God's word. But speaking rashly in selfish anger seems the larger idea.


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## puritan628

In the communication scholarship, there's a term I teach called _response latency_ that refers to the amount of time a person takes to respond to another person. As one who comes from hearing a lot of "If you'll just let me finish," category, I have had to learn how to slow down my response time. By the same token, I'm also in the category of people who "talk to think." I'm reminded of a quote: "How do I know what I think 'til I see what I say?" (author unknown). That's me when I'm brainstorming. But I digress.

So ... the Lord has done a *mighty* work in me to slow down my response time, regardless of the context, whether I'm simply eager to participate, whether I'm responding out of anger, or whether I'm brainstorming. Through His grace, I've increased my response latency to include a measurable difference in the amount of time it takes me to "engage my brain before my mouth."

Then there are those whose response latency is so long that you want to choke them and say, "Spit it out!" because they take so long to respond. LOL My best friend's husband is like that and a lot of my learning came through my friendship with her.


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## LawrenceU

This is Biblical proof that the wondrous Southern Drawl is to be esteemed and cultivated by all.


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## Steve Curtis

Personally, I tend to be quick with a quip or retort that would benefit from recurring meditation on this passage.


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## LawrenceU

Joshua said:


> LawrenceU said:
> 
> 
> 
> This is Biblical proof that the wondrous Southern Drawl is to be esteemed and cultivated by all.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not so keen on others cultivating it if they didn't grow up with it. It just doesn't sound right.
Click to expand...

 
Oh, I agree that folks who try and speak correctly without it being a natural part of their raising sound a bit odd. Perhaps I should not have used the word cultivated as it is not understood in its fullest sense by most today. It would have been better to have written, ' esteemed, protected and nurtured.'

---------- Post added at 08:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:04 AM ----------




Joshua said:


> Who was it that said "The foolish man talks because he has to say something.The wise man talks because he has something to say."
> 
> Pertaining to the OP, the "Being Slow to Speak" is in contrast to "Being Quick to Listen." So it seems, then, the implication is not to burst out with one's every thought, for said thought, even carefully considered, _may _just be wrong. Instead, focus on being a good "listener," and then you'll know better what, when, and how long to "speak."
> 
> Just my
> 
> In line with what Mr. K was saying, here's the venerable and ever helpful Matthew Henry:
> And so we may observe, It is our duty rather to hear God's word, and apply our minds to understand it, than to speak according to our own fancies or the opinions of men, and to run into heat and passion thereupon. Let not such errors as that of God's being the occasion of men's sin ever be hastily, much less angrily, mentioned by you (and so as to other errors); but be ready to hear and consider what God's word teaches in all such cases. 2. This may be applied to the afflictions and temptations spoken of in the beginning of the chapter. And then we may observe, It is our duty rather to hear how God explains his providences, and what he designs by the, than to say as David did in his haste, _I am cut off;_ or as Jonah did in his passion, I do well to be angry. Instead of censuring God under our trials, let us open our ears and hearts to hear what he will say to us. 3. This may be understood as referring to the disputes and differences that Christians, in those times of trial, were running into among themselves: and so this part of the chapter may be considered without any connection with what goes before. Here we may observe that, whenever matters of difference arise among Christians, each side should be willing to hear the other. People are often stiff in their own opinions because they are not willing to hear what others have to offer against them: whereas we should be swift to hear reason and truth on all sides, and be slow to speak any thing that should prevent this: and, when we do speak, there should be nothing of wrath; for a soft answer turneth away wrath. As this epistle is designed to correct a variety of disorders that existed among Christians, these words, _swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath,_ may be very well interpreted according to this last explication. And we may further observe from them that, if men would govern their tongues, they must govern their passions. When Moses' spirit was provoked, _he spoke unadvisedly with his lips._ If we would be slow to speak, we must be slow to wrath.​



On the more serious side, I love this Henry quote.

I believe that we are losing the ability to consistently think before speaking in this country. More and more it is the fast quip, jab, retort that is esteemed. Seldom does thoughtful discussing take place in the marketplace or anywhere else for that matter. I have even noticed this in congregational settings,


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## LawrenceU

Joshua said:


> Joshua said:
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> 
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> *ADMIN NOTE:
> 
> *You two stop hi-jacking this thread or I'll send both of ya packin'.
> 
> 
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> 
> Sorry. Sheesh, Mr. Admin.
Click to expand...




Sorry, couldn't resist.


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## coramdeo

Some would say this is why God gave us two ears and one mouth. Seriously, I have really been working on this in my life over the last few weeks and have quoted "the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God" to my self repeatedly. Words once spoken, are impossible to retrieve.


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## Curt

LawrenceU said:


> This is Biblical proof that the wondrous Southern Drawl is to be esteemed and cultivated by all.


 
Is that southern _*Maine*_ drawl?


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## puritan628

LawrenceU said:


> I believe that we are losing the ability to consistently think before speaking in this country. More and more it is the fast quip, jab, retort that is esteemed. Seldom does thoughtful discussing take place in the marketplace or anywhere else for that matter. I have even noticed this in congregational settings,


 


coramdeo said:


> Words once spoken, are impossible to retrieve.



It seems that there is a prevailing preference for communication to be so very concise that by its very brevity it increases its potential for ambiguity. By virtue of the fact that we have such a wide variety of backgrounds consuming the sound bites of others, we cannot but miscommunicate on an even larger scale than normal. And because communication *is* irreversible, like the proverbial toothpaste and the tube, once said, it cannot be "put back inside" no matter how many more words a person uses attempting to do so.

Did any of that make sense?


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## Berean

Curt said:


> LawrenceU said:
> 
> 
> 
> This is Biblical proof that the wondrous Southern Drawl is to be esteemed and cultivated by all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is that southern _*Maine*_ drawl?
Click to expand...

 
Ayuh


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## py3ak

Being slow to speak doesn't necessarily mean being sparing with your words, though it does involve being readier to listen than to vent your own opinion. But there are other verses that address the matter. 

For general communication, consult [KJV]Proverbs 10:19[/KJV].

In a religious setting, consider [KJV]Ecclesiastes 5:2[/KJV].


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## LawrenceU

Curt said:


> LawrenceU said:
> 
> 
> 
> This is Biblical proof that the wondrous Southern Drawl is to be esteemed and cultivated by all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is that southern _*Maine*_ drawl?
Click to expand...

 
Could be. I was born Down East, in Waterville. My father was on the foreign mission field in Unity. I sure don't sound like I was born there, though.

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puritan628 said:


> LawrenceU said:
> 
> 
> 
> I believe that we are losing the ability to consistently think before speaking in this country. More and more it is the fast quip, jab, retort that is esteemed. Seldom does thoughtful discussing take place in the marketplace or anywhere else for that matter. I have even noticed this in congregational settings,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> coramdeo said:
> 
> 
> 
> Words once spoken, are impossible to retrieve.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> It seems that there is a prevailing preference for communication to be so very concise that by its very brevity it increases its potential for ambiguity. By virtue of the fact that we have such a wide variety of backgrounds consuming the sound bites of others, we cannot but miscommunicate on an even larger scale than normal. And because communication *is* irreversible, like the proverbial toothpaste and the tube, once said, it cannot be "put back inside" no matter how many more words a person uses attempting to do so.
> 
> Did any of that make sense?
Click to expand...

 

Absolutely, and I agree wholeheartedly. I am convinced that in the simplification of our vocabulary (while it grows tremendously every year due to technospeak), rhetorical structure and orthography we have lost the ability to communicate anything other than the simplest of concepts with any degree of accuracy.


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## puritan628

Then there's my personal favorite, Ephesians 4:29: "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as it fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

I like this version better: "Let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth but that which is good, good for edifying, that it may administer grace to the hearer." This version is very close (I'm going from memory) to the one Florence Littauer uses in her presentation "Silver Boxes: The Gift of Encouragement" that I show at the end of the semester in all of my speech classes.


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