The Keys to Effective Conversations

The Epistle of James (written shortly after the first bout of persecution, and probably the first New Testament book) is a practical and application-based book. James assumes we are familiar with fundamental Christian doctrine. He is like a wise counsellor with a client. A client, who knows what they need to do, but has hit a wall due to circumstances. All he does is point us to the door and challenges us to go through it.

As we come to verse 19, we find him addressing a wall many of us have hit, a wall that deals with our conversations with God. This verse is the beginning of a paragraph which discusses the importance of receiving and obeying the Word of God. (See James 1:21, 25)

The Bible is God’s inspired (or breathed out) word to humanity. As you read the pages of these 66 books, you are reading the words of God. Yes, He used human authors and their various personalities and styles. But He revealed to them what He wanted us to know and then guided them as they put it on parchment. (See 2 Peter 1:20–21)

Then despite everything and everyone who has sought to destroy this testimony, God, by His sovereign power, has preserved these words through history so we could and can have His written word throughout every generation.

It is by the words of the Bible and the application (or conviction) of the Holy Spirit that God speaks to us. As we read the Bible, allowing ourselves to be directed by the Spirit of God, and pray, we are conversing with God. But when those conversations are lopsided, we miss out on the blessings of communication with God. (See James 4:3)

Lopsided conversations do not nurture communication; in fact, they hinder communication. They cause a break down in the flow of necessary information, which leads to broken relationships. (See James 4:1–2)

In verse 19, James shows us three keys to having conversations specifically with God. Conversations that are not lopsided but effective, conversations that produce righteousness. And as we learn how to have effective conversations with God, we will, in turn, learn how to have effective conversations with each other, promoting communication.