19. If one wants to do a great deal of talking, what should he consider?

¹⁹ Those who want to use their tongues in a great deal of talking should remind themselves that they must eat the fruitage of their tongues: “From the fruitage of a man’s mouth his belly will get its fill; he will get his fill even of the produce of his lips. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and he that is loving it will eat its fruitage.” If the fruitage is Kingdom fruitage, the preaching of the good news, such leads to everlasting life in God’s new world. But if one is quick to speak what is rotten, injurious and foolish, then it will be as Jesus warned the Pharisees: “I tell you that every unprofitable saying that men speak, they will render an account concerning it on Judgment Day; for by your words you will be vindicated, and by your words you will be condemned.” How true it is: “He that would love life and see good days, let him restrain his tongue from what is injurious and his lips from speaking deceitfully”!—Prov. 18:20, 21; Matt. 12:36, 37; 1 Pet. 3:10.

“PUTTING UP WITH ONE ANOTHER”

20. What is the trend in the world today, and why must Christians not be like this?

²⁰ Whether it be in the congregation or in the family circle, there are many small things that do not really matter whether they are done one way or the other. To be quick in expressing fault in these unweighty matters shows unbalance. It shows a lack of love because love “does not look for its own interests.” The trend in the world today is to be swift about insisting on one’s own way by being quick to speak fault-finding, nagging, carping words. There are verbal tyrants in small things. Little wonder that a worldly wit has said: “My wife is too beautiful for words—but not for arguments!” Such carping must not exist among Christians. Follow God’s will as expressed at Philippians 2:14: “Keep doing all things free from murmurings and arguments.” Really do as the apostle admonished: “Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely if anyone has a cause for complaint against another.” Following such counsel will make for pleasantness and unity both within the family circle and the congregation. “Look! how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!”—1 Cor. 13:5; Col. 3:13; Ps. 133:1.

AVOIDING RASH WORDS WHEN ANGERED

21. Why be “slow about speaking,” especially when provoked to anger, and what example shows the folly of speaking quickly in anger?

²¹ Especially when incited to anger must the Christian be “slow about speaking.” Otherwise foolish, regrettable, rash speech may result; for especially when provoked to anger is it true: “In the abundance of words there does not fail to be transgression, but the one keeping his lips in check is acting discreetly.” Showing how easy it is to sin with the tongue when angered is the example of Moses. The murmuring Israelites “caused provocation at the waters of Meribah, so that it went badly with Moses by reason of them. For they embittered his spirit and he began to speak rashly with his lips.” When the Israelites needed water, Jehovah commanded Moses to take his rod and bring forth water from a crag. Moses did it, but because of his anger at the complaining Israelites he was swift to speak: “Hear, now, you rebels! Is it from this crag that we shall bring out water for you?” Later Jehovah said to Moses: “Because you did not show faith in me to sanctify me before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you will not bring this congregation into the land that I shall certainly give them.” It was a big price to pay for rash speech.—Prov. 10:19; Ps. 106:32, 33; Num. 20:10, 12.

22. Why were Moses’ rash words not caused by a rebellious or proud heart, and so what lesson do we learn?

²² It was not that Moses was rebellious in his heart. Rather, in a moment of anger, he was swift about speaking. What came out was not to the glory of God. Moses’ words left the impression that he and Aaron were the providers of the people, whereas it was Jehovah who had provided for them all those years in the wilderness. Nor was it that Moses was proud and arrogant. “The man Moses was by far the meekest of all the men who were upon the surface of the ground.” Yet he sinned with his tongue. Even for the most humble servant of God there is a need to guard one’s mouth: “The one guarding his mouth is keeping his soul. The one opening wide his lips—he will have ruin.”—Num. 12:3; Prov. 13:3.

23. How will James’ counsel aid us?

²³ So take to heart James’ counsel: “Be swift about hearing, slow about speaking, slow about wrath.” It will aid you to bring forth fruitage acceptable to God. It will aid you to use your tongue to the glory of the Creator. It will aid you in carrying out the divine will as expressed at Romans 14:19: “Let us pursue the things making for peace and the things that are upbuilding to one another.”

Being Slow About Wrath

“Man’s wrath does not produce God’s righteousness.”—Jas. 1:20.

1. Why is there no unrighteousness produced by God’s anger, and how does Jehovah set the example?

ANGER in itself is not evil. The anger of Jehovah is the justifiable reaction of the wholly righteous God against sin, wickedness and all forms of unrighteousness. “Because of the aforesaid things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.” God’s wrath is completely under the control of his attributes of justice, wisdom, love and power. “Jehovah is slow to anger”—this the prophets Nahum, Joel and Jonah affirm. The psalmist says: “Jehovah is gracious and merciful, slow to anger.” And Jehovah himself gives this description at Exodus 34:6: “Jehovah went passing by before [Moses’] face and declaring: ‘Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness.’” Thus Jehovah sets the example in being slow about wrath.—Eph. 5:6; Nah. 1:3; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2, AS; Ps. 145:8.

2. Why is slowness about wrath important for imperfect humans?

² How fitting, then, that God should require us to be slow about wrath. Explaining why slowness about wrath is especially important for imperfect humans, the inspired writer James said: “For man’s wrath does not produce God’s righteousness.” This is true for many reasons. Man’s anger is often excited without sufficient cause; it often transcends the cause, if any cause really exists. Man’s anger tends to operate without due regard to consequences; hence it inclines one toward all kinds of injuriousness. Human anger often leads to loss of self-control—to stormy rages and violent “fits of anger,” and this is classed among those