The Speed We Need

“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” (James 1:19 NKJV)

Question: When was the first car race?

Answer: When the second car was built.*

Speed. It’s an American obsession. Sure, the human race has been fascinated with speed since before the original Olympics, as you can note in Scriptures—Esther 8:10 mentions “royal horses bred from swift steeds,” and Job 9:25-26 compares the swiftness of days to runners and ships.

But here in our country, speed is a really big deal. Cars have contributed to the racing mentality. Our economy is driven by the mission to get things done faster than ever. All our conveniences promise to be time-savers. And this desire for speed is only accelerating (pun intended).

I blame McDonald’s and other fast-food restaurants for fostering the demand for instant food. At drive-throughs, you don’t even have to stop your engine to grab your burger and dine à la car.

FedEx launched the first successful effort to routinely deliver small packages overnight…something not possible on a large scale before the company’s creation by Fred Smith in 1971. Now, people think a mail-order delivery in three or more days is ridiculously slow.

NASCAR has become a celebrity sport, with giant stadiums (Bristol Motor Speedway is in our region) and roaring stock cars. These vehicles are not far removed from modified autos of Prohibition days, used by moonshine runners around here to outrun government authorities.

An advertisement in a 1915 edition of a women’s fashion magazine called “The Delineator,” promoting a new convertible touring car called the “Overland.” Wouldn’t it be great to get a brand-new car today for only $1,075??

Is speed important, though, for Christians?

Lots of articles urge people of faith to slow down and spend more time with God, which is an admirable goal. Over-committed calendars keep us from being focused on ministry in His name and living in the peace He gives. We typically need to move away from frenzy toward a more balanced pace of life, for both a more effective witness and lowered blood pressure.**

Certainly, speed in our vehicles is not a good practice. There is never a good time for a ticket or an accident. There is never justification for causing harm to someone else. Those thoughts keep me grounded on staying close to the speed limit as I’m driving.

Speed is not listed as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In fact, the nurturing of Christian faith is developed over a long time frame. While salvation may arrive in a whirlwind, the journey of maturity in the faith takes a lifetime.

So, how might speed be a useful tool in our walk with Jesus?

The brother of Jesus gives us a direct response in James 1:19—a commandment for all of us to be swift to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.

That’s not an easy mandate to obey. In our sinful state, we’re naturally prone to quick tempers and rash speech, selfishly abandoning the godly practice of being a good listener. We can only achieve any success by asking the Holy Spirit to give us opportunities to practice. That way, listening (with curbed speech) becomes part of our regular routine.

Let’s challenge each other as brothers and sisters in Jesus to be “speedy” in other ways, too:

Swift to speak words of encouragement (slow to complain)
Swift to be generous (slow to be stingy)
Swift to think of others first (slow to be self-centered)
Swift to boldly declare the name of Jesus to others (slow to be fearful)
Swift to join others in worship and praise to God (slow to be lazy in attending church)
Swift to make sacrifices for Christ (slow to be comfort-minded)

I’m sure you can think of others. For whatever Jesus is calling you to do today, ask Him about His time frame on it…recognizing that His missions are always given with the overarching commandment to love other people as He loves them.

Let’s be swift to spend time with Jesus Christ, share His good news with a heart-sick world, and pour out His love to others. Right away!

Holy Spirit, I ask You to reshape the pace of my life so that I am focused on the right things. Change my desires and schedule, to make me a more effective witness. Fill me with Your gifts that I will react swiftly to situations that call for making sacrifices for You. Make me bold, unselfish, and ready to speak loving words to others, for Your honor and glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

*I don’t know where this originated, so I can’t give credit—but it’s a pretty good joke. According to the internet, the first official car race was in 1894 in France.

*I love the suggestions for “slow living” in this blog by MamaLava: https://mamalava.wordpress.com/2022/01/08/slow-living-7-ways-to-elevate-focus-over-frenzy/

Nancy C. Williams is a Christian wife/mom with a writing career spanning more than 40 years in business and journalism. Williams is the author of the novel To Love a Falcon and the devotional book A Crocus in the Desert: Devotions, Stories, and Prayers for Women Experiencing Infertility. Her blogs are featured on Crossmap.com and AriseDaily. To follow Nancy’s posts and news, go to her home page at NancyCWilliams.com and subscribe at the bottom.

© Copyright 2025 Nancy C. Williams (text and photography). Unless otherwise noted, Scripture verses are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. #speed #nascar #fedex #mcdonalds #slow #sacrifice #christianliving #racing #hurry