What Makes You Angry?

James 1:19-20 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires. ESV

I love James' practical advice for Christian living. If all of us would simply do what these two verses suggest, how much happier we would be.

Be quick to hear - make it a point to listen to those around you. What are they really saying, what are they really feeling, what need are they crying out for? Too often we listen only to give us a space to formulate our next statement. Next time you are in a conversation tune into the words and their meaning.

Be slow to speak - spouting off our opinions on things is something we are good at. I would encourage us all to take time once we have listened to formulate a response that blesses the hearer and glorifies God - not one that just shows off who or what we know.

Be slow to anger - what ticks you off? Try to pay attention to those triggers and think about why. Perhaps there is something in your background that grates at you whenever someone saya a certain word or phrase. Or perhaps someone else is goading you - trying to get an angry response from you. But know this - your anger doesn't do God's work, especially if it is anger at another person.

Try instead to postpone the anger till you've had time to think about why you are angry, judge if it is something in you rather than something in them - and had time to pray about it. Remember: "forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

Pastor Tom