Listening and doing

I decided to flip through my Bible today and see what caught my eye.  I don't do that very often, but sometimes it's kind of cool to see where God takes me.  Well, today my Bible just happened to fall open to James 1:19, the title of which is called "listening and doing."  I love God's timing.  I don't believe that there is such a thing as "coincidence" when the Creator of the universe is orchestrating your life :).  Here I've been having a pity party all weekend for myself because I cannot talk.  I cannot communicate anything at all beyond simple gestures, and it's sooo frustrating.

But God's word says that we should be quick to listen and slow to speak.  That we should be doers, not just sayers.  That the tongue is the most dangerous weapon of all.  So I have to ask myself, as I'm begrudgingly sitting here in silence, forced to hear the conversation of everyone around me and unable to participate in any of it....is it possible that I have forgotten how to listen?  

James 1:19-26

Listening and Doing

 ¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. ²¹ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.  ²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
 ²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.