“He who answers before he hears [the facts]– It is folly and shame to him.” 

Proverbs 18:13 AMP

I am immediately reminded of a verse in the New Testament,

“Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving];”

James 1:19 AMP

We are so quick to judge today without knowing all of the facts. When righteous anger wells up within us, we need be careful that we do not fall victim of the Pharisee trap. Our internal anger many be warranted, but we must gather all the facts before we condemn an individual or group! I love the Amplified translation of this verse. It drives home the importance of being a careful and thoughtful listener. The Greek tense here renders to be “the person or things about whom or which we hear.” The focus is internalizing the message and responding to it. Remember when your parents said, “Did you hear me?” It was a clear sign that some action needed to be taken on our part! Our verse is reminding us that when we internalize those juicy morsels of information they will produce some type of response. 

Imagine that you are seated on an airplane for a 5-hour journey. During the boarding process the seat beside you remains empty. Hoping for the best you notice a 275 lbs. man start down the aisle. Your mind starts, “please don’t let him sit next to me!” “How could someone get so large, it’s a disgrace!” Suddenly he stops at your row and makes his way to the seat beside you. With all of the negative thoughts running through your mind he begins a conversation. You find out that he used to be 375 lbs. and that this trip is to celebrate him losing 100 lbs.! He shares his story of being sexually abused as a child and is finally dealing with all of the consequences of hiding from the truth. WOW! That changes everything. Suddenly your not bothered by his size or the discomfort the journey may have in store because you are part of his celebration! That is exactly what our verse is reminding us of today; don’t judge until you have all the facts.

Being a Christian is about a journey from sin to grace. We are all on that road and at various points of the journey. There are times we make a right turn when we should have gone left. Maybe we suddenly find ourselves at a dead end and must make our way back to the main road. We are all called to support each other and to extend grace knowing that we also may one day need assistance! The Apostle Paul put it this way to the Colossians,

“So, as God’s own chosen people, who are holy [set apart, sanctified for His purpose] and well-beloved [by God Himself], put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper]; 13bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive. 14Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others]. 15Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always].  

Colossians 3:12-15 AMP

That doesn’t mean we comfort each other in our sin. It does however mandate that we respond to those who are struggling knowing we do not have the whole story! I love the translation here, “…put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper];” “put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love.”

Take time today to listen carefully before passing judgement remembering from whence you came! Be the one willing to endure so that those who know not Christ can see the love of God demonstrated by your life! Have a blessed day! Pastor Ken