Stay Curious
"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."
- James 1:19-20
My husband poses this challenge with his clients when he is coaching them to be better listeners:
“Stay curious three questions longer.”
In today’s passage, James is addressing the body of believers and sharing jewels of wisdom as he “coaches” them on the interpersonal disciplines that most honor God and cultivate a righteous life. In the gospels, Jesus is recorded as asking 307 questions. What if instead of rushing in with our opinions, solutions, or criticisms we instead disciplined our tongues to first gather more information - at least three questions worth? What new insights and understanding might be gained? How much more would we look like Jesus when we respond with a thoughtful question instead of an uninformed statement?
Our day to day is filled with all sorts of relationships. From friends and co-workers to a spouse or children, how would our relationships benefit from increased curiosity? When we slow down and ask meaningful questions, others are valued, they feel seen, and they sense they matter. Even strangers are impacted by our genuine interest in who they are and how their day is going. It may be one of the easiest adjustments to make with simply a little intentionality.
What questions can you ask your family today that go beyond the basic, “How was your day?” How might they feel encouraged by your genuine curiosity? There are plenty of opportunities to apply this coaching. See if you can slow down and find the opportunities to invest in others by staying curious three questions longer.
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Father, help me lead with my ears, follow up with my tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear (MSG). May my desire for understanding others be greater than my desire to be heard and understood. Help me through the power of your Spirit to live the righteous life you desire. Amen.
ABOUT ROCKPOINTE CHURCH
RockPointe strives to provide a welcoming, family-friendly environment where people of all walks of life encounter the transforming power of a relationship with Jesus.
You will find RockPointe to be a place of imperfect, but genuine and authentic people seeking to glorify Jesus with their lives. Our hope is to point to the empowering grace of Jesus that transforms people to become impactful disciples for the kingdom of God.
The worship music is modern in style and highly gospel-centered in content. People are encouraged to passionately worship Jesus in “spirit and truth.” At RockPointe we value singing songs that are Christ-exalting and theologically rich.
We hold the Scriptures in high regard as the final authority in a person’s life. Messages at RockPointe are Christ-centered and will provide great insight as to what the Bible teaches about living your life for the glory of God. There is also a Family Room for parents to observe the services even while attending to their family needs.
Learn more about who we are here >>
