Why we have Two Ears and One Mouth

Daily Devotional – Wednesday, September 29, 2021

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath…

James 1:19 (NKJV)

If swallowing one’s words were a literal exercise, my tummy would be full by now. Thankfully, I have the benefit of forgiveness from those I have hurt and the wisdom that comes with age and experience.

I cannot count the number of times I have been embarrassed for speaking too fast before understanding the issue at hand. Often, I have judged others wrongly and pronounced a harsh sentence before listening.

With age, however, I am gradually learning to pause, listen, and then speak. This saves me not only the embarrassment of being dead wrong, but also the effects of being angry and hurting others through my words and / or actions.

My learning curve and experiences remind me of the counsel James offered to the Christians of his day. He said, “…let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath…” (James 1:19).

James is like a traffic controller. He directs us to accelerate every time we see the ‘LISTEN’ sign. We need to spend more time listening, without bias, to what others have to say.

Then he says when we see the signs ‘SPEAK’ and ‘ANGER’, we must slow down. Do not speak without listening. Avoid getting angry. This takes us back to the first piece of advice – ‘be swift to hear.’

A Greek Philosopher, Epictetus, who lived in the first century AD, said, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Apparently, God did His math perfectly before He created us.

Loving Father, teach me to listen more and speak less.