Watch your mouth

Here in James we see him addressing the reader as "beloved brethren" a brother in the Lord. We see him exhorting us in a familiar way as in Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.”

In today's text we are told to be swift to hear and slow to speak...which tends to be the exact opposite in how we live our lives. We tend to be quick to speak, we are only interested in what we think and want to express to others our viewpoint. We likewise are told to be slow to wrath along with our speech, to be kind and listen.

James 1:19–21 NKJV
19 “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

The Bible is quite clear when it comes to our hearing or listening to others. We therefore need to lay aside all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness. To place or give importance to our actions, to put aside our foul mouth or rotten thoughts towards others which cause us to overflow with sinful disdain.
We can achieve this if and when we walk with God, through our knowledge and relationship in Christ.

Proverbs 17:27–28 NKJV
“He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.”