Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
(James 1:19-27 ESV)
James is down to earth and practical. If we are going to speak up about our faith - and we should - we need to demonstrate in our lives how our faith has influenced us for good. If we are going to speak up about injustice in the world - and we should - we need to live lives demonstrating justice for those who need it most - widows and orphans. Our speech must be pure at all times if we expect people to take what we say seriously. We need to control our tongues and not lash out angrily or without thinking of the consequences. Self-control in word and action - marking the control of the Holy Spirit evident - that will make people take interest in what we have to say. Without that, we're just an obnoxious, clanging cymbal.
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