#DailyDevotion Not Getting To The Point Of Anger
James 1:19-21 19My dear fellow Christians, you should know this. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to talk, slow to get angry. 20An angry man doesn’t do what’s right before God. 21So get rid of everything filthy and every breaking out of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the Word that’s planted in you and can save your souls.
Now Christians here is actually brothers in the Greek. That is OK because we call brothers those who share the faith with us and have the Holy Spirit. I think this is important as it ties us all together in Christ. It goes back to Jesus commanding his disciples to love one another as Christ has loved us. Being God’s children and having the Holy Spirit, James continues with exhortations to us to live by in our faith.
Christ is our wisdom who is the Wisdom of God. So let us hear, believe and do what James exhorts us. We should be quick to listen, slow to talk, and slow to get angry. Often easier said than done. We may have some buttons we have not dealt with. But I had heard some good advice when talking with people. First really listen to someone trying to understand what they are saying. Try restating to the person their position of what they are thinking and feeling. This of course will make you slow to speak because you “are seeking to understand rather than being understood.” Once you can express the other persons point of view to their satisfaction, then you can respond with what your point of view is and why.
Mind you, whoever you are talking to may not share your understanding of how to have a conversation. Remember, they too are a fallen human being and they may not even have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. In any case, remember Paul’s words to bear with one another. We often get angry because we don’t think the other person respects our position or respects us. They may however have a different understanding of showing respect to another. These things aren’t always universal, not only in the same culture but even in the same family. If you understand this perhaps you won’t feel disrespected. You may even tell the person, “I feel respected when people deal with me xyz and disrespected when they do abc.” If the person does respect you, they will take note of it.
So when you are angry you probably aren’t doing right in the sight of God. You are probably not being humble. You are probably not acting with respect to the other. It does seem in mundane things when we are angry, he have some fear. But Perfect Love cast out fear. I’m not saying you love perfected but you believe you are perfectly loved by God who is love. When angry, you are not letting his perfect love have its way with you.
As God’s children then, get rid of the filthy and wickedness thoughts of your heart with the love God has for you. Instead welcome the Word implanted in you by your baptism. He saves your soul. Live by that Word that God has given birth to you by it. Focusing on the Good News of the salvation Jesus won for us reminds us of two things a. we are sinners in need of salvation b. Jesus won that salvation despite ourselves. If we do that then we remember the same applies to everyone else.
Heavenly Father, by your Word, cast out from us fear, anger, anything filthy or wicked from our hearts and minds so we may show your great love to those we meet today. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.