Slow To Anger
There’s a lot of anger in this world. It’s in posts on social media, conversations with neighbors, in broadcasts and on billboards. It can even be in our own hearts.
There is such a thing as righteous anger. It was an angry Jesus that cleared the temple courts of the money changers. It was an angry Jesus that verbally slashed the Pharisees for their self-righteousness.
When Jesus displayed anger for sin, he always spoke the truth about sin with love for the listener. He always maintained control and a desire for God’s will. He continually sought his Father’s justice and trusted his Father to administer that justice.
Anger is dangerous for sinful humans because it often leads to sinful actions. It can lead us to speak with self-love rather than with love for the listener. It easily becomes inflamed with passion and causes us to lose control or impose our will rather than follow God’s. It sometimes even causes us to take God’s justice into our own hands.
There is a lot of anger in this world, what are you to do when it’s yours?
For the times in the past you’ve let your anger lead you to hateful words and hurtful actions, go to your heavenly Father and humbly admit your guilt. See love, not anger in his face as he assures you, “you are forgiven in Jesus.”
For the times in the future when anger wants to invade, ask your heavenly Father to let his power control your passion, his love guide your words, and his peace fill your heart.
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. – James 1:19-20
