Dear Friends and Members of IBC, On Sunday, we began a new sermon series going through the book of James. We considered the promise that if we let perseverance finish its work, we “may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4). In this week’s Word for the Week, let me share a brief bonus thought on what that might look like. First and foremost, I would say growing in maturity means surrendering more and more to Christ, less dependent on ourselves. But James also hints at one of the marks of a mature Christian a few verses later - an important mark of maturity that may sometimes be overlooked. In James 1:19 he says, “everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry”. So, one sign that we are growing in maturity is that we become more careful with the words we use. We know that words can build up, but they can also tear down. We are not quick to give our opinion on everything. It’s not so important that everyone knows what we think. James highlights this again in James 3:2, when he speaks about the taming of the tongue: “Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.”