fast talking fool? That’s me.

Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Proverbs 29:20

Around five years ago, through circumstances and conversation, the Lord got my attention about my tendency to be a hasty speaker. It wasn’t an easy thing to hear at the time, I resisted it at first, offended that this had been brought to the forefront, but today I am glad that I have listened to God and the people around me on this issue. It helped me to keep rooting out some poor motivations on my part as I confess and forsake my hasty words. Here’s what I am discovering about the foolishness of hasty speech in my own heart:

1) I will be hasty to “speed along” what I perceive as an uncomfortable moment. This is an attempt at control on my part, plain and simple. Uncomfortable moments though can be huge growth opportunities, not only for myself, but for others, if those moments are allowed to sink in under the work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

2) I will be quick to speak in order to impress people with my knowledge or perceived solutions. This is like that annoying kids in school who always raises their hand at the teacher’s question (I may personally know someone who was sort of that way in school.). And for me this stems from pride. I know this. It is wrong.

3) I will use hasty words to get what I want. This is the most devilish of my motivations. I can use words and reasoned argumentation to “win” and influence others to get my way, much like a certain snake in a certain garden. This is absolute selfishness and control at its very worst in me.

So instead of being a fast talking fool, I am committed to learning the New Testament counterpart of this Proverbs warning in order to truly appreciate and appropriate God’s wisdom:

“…let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger…”

James 1:19