Pastor's Corner
A message from Pastor Andy Ross...

Past Devotionals

Are You Listening? - July 22, 2005

Read James 1:19.

Dear friends,

Let's consider a practical and wise message from James - about how we communicate with each other.

A lesson to note is from James 1:19. Real smart stuff here - "be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry..."

Sometimes I wonder if we are listening to what others are saying, or even what we say from time to time.

We use expressions like, "Open a can of worms." Now - have you ever opened a can of worms? And why would we put them in a sealed can? And why would you be opening that up anyway?

Or the phrase, "Meteoric rise." Don't meteors fall to the earth?

Or "down the pike." Why can't you go up the pike. And do you know what a pike is? Isn't it a fish in a lake?

Well - you get the point. If you're listening while reading.

God gave us two ears and one mouth. Maybe that's a design confirmation of what James is talking about. So today - listen first and long - before you speak and react with whatever emotions are raging inside you.

That will help keep the worms in the can ... or whatever!

God's blessings to you this day!

Andy Ross
Pastor