¹⁹ Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. ²⁰ Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. ²¹ So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

James 1:19-21

Dear God, be curious, not judgmental. Oh, how I have gotten myself in trouble when I’ve been quick to speak and slow to listen. I can think of some instances at work where I got my dander up (how old does that phrase make me sound?) and decided I was going to make a point and be tough. Almost always–every time–it has backfired on me. I’ve almost always regretted it because I learned something on the back end that made me realize there was more to the story.

Which leads me to the first words I typed here. Be curious, not judgmental. Very few people wake up each day thinking they are going to be selfish and mean to others. There are some people like that out there, but they are 1 out of 100. The other 99, even though what they do might be offensive or mean, think they are doing the right thing. So maybe instead of judging them I should get to know them and understand why they think what they think or do what they do. Maybe I can help them. Or maybe I’m the one who is wrong and they can help me.

Then there is the second part of this paragraph. Get rid of all of the filth in our lives. I can see things that flash in front of me that tempt me. I can feel it happening in real time. I can feel my thoughts want to drift to places of self pity, selfishness, lust, or judgment. The more I can remove the outside stimuli from my life that help plant these weeds in my field the better off I will be.

Father, this is a new day, and I have to make a renewed commitment to following you. So I offer my life to you. I offer my decisions to you. Love through me. Live through me. Let your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven through me. Bless those around me. Heal the sick–physically and emotionally. Care for those who are suffering. Comfort those who are mourning. Strengthen those who are helping. Be God over in Kerrville right now. Be with those people over there who are digging, discovering, and doing an incredible heroes work.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen