RECEIVING

"Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21).

 

Whenever you see a "therefore", find out what it's there for!  In this case, "therefore" points back to the two previous verses. Because we are to be quick to hear and slow to speak and slow to get angry; and because our anger rarely lines up with God's perfect purposes; we are to do verse 21.

 

"Putting aside all filthiness" literally means in the Greek, "take off your dirty clothes".  "All that remains of wickedness" carries the idea of an overabundance--an excess of evil (detrimental characteristics and behavior).  So, while listening rather than speaking and hearing (and being impacted by it) rather than getting angry, since our anger doesn't line up with God's activity in our lives--we choose to take off our dirty clothes (our excess negative attitudes, behaviors, and justifications).  And when we take something off--we need to replace it with something better.  We take off our dirty clothes and we humbly receive the good gift given to us through the word grafted into our lives.  James says that to receive the word will eternally save our life!

 

Here's the bottom line.  When someone offends you today (when--not if...lol), rather than getting upset and getting defensive and getting angry--take a step back.  Receive whatever portion of the message may be true--you can reject the rest.  It takes humility to say, "I can see that you are spot on and I want to thank you for pointing it out to me so that I can work on improving".  When you do this, you are humbly receiving the word.  You are taking off your dirty clothes (and your detrimental attitudes, etc.) and you are allowing yourself to be saved--to be rescued. 

 

So today, don't get mad!  Rather . . . Listen . . . Learn . . . and . . . Live!