DCLM Daily Manna 2025: DCLM Daily Manna 5 September 2025: Speak Less
KEY VERSE: James 1:19-20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
READ: James 1:19-25 (KJV)
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
The British royal family’s unofficial motto, “Never complain, never explain,” was a hallmark of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. The motto does not have its origin with a member of the royal family but with a comment made by a British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, who served two terms under Queen Victoria.
Disraeli died in 1881 and the earliest attribution of the quote in full was made to him in a 1903 work by John Morley. The expression stresses the importance of exercising restraint in speaking, especially when one seems to be on the other side of favour. It is used as a guiding principle for personal and professional conduct.
Apostle James, in the inspired text of today, warns against being quick to speak. This parallels an earlier caution in the Scriptures in Ecclesiastes 5:1: “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.” The exhortation highlights the need to listen more and speak less, which consequently reduces tension and strife in fellowship. The text concludes by encouraging believers to be doers of the Word and not hearers only.
When we are quick to listen and slow to speak, we act more wisely. Being slow to speak and quick to listen will help us gain the perspectives of others, and understand what they are thinking and feeling. It also gives us the time needed to calm down and not become easily offended. The words we speak can wound or heal. Inciting words can ignite a fire that consumes the entire community. There have been reports of school children who committed suicide because of repeated taunting and bullying by fellow students at school.
The people who keep quiet are believed to be wiser than their talkative counterpart. Those who listen and learn succeed more than those who are quick to talk, without having enough time to think and pray. Labouring to give our perspectives on every subject and taking time to defend our views will amount to too much talking.
God gave us two ears, two eyes, and one mouth. This indicates, from His wise design, that we are intended to see and hear more and speak less. We need to ask God to guide our steps and keep the door on our lips.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Speak less and listen more.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 89–91
Daily Manna 5 September 2025
