Passing the Test
Notes
Transcript
James 1:19-20.
First and foremost, I would like to commend everyone that went to Virginia for the KOZ East Coast Campout.
The boys that went, Asher, Jasper, Elijah, Ryan, Enoch and Owen. All stood out in their own way, and I can say with exceeding joy that I am very proud of each of you.
The adults that went, well, we survived the adventure.
To Mr Keith, Lloyd, Mike S., and our fearless leader Mr Craig, a tip of the hat and a hearty well done.
Our verse for today is James 1:19-20.
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Where were you all tested while at camp?
Asher- Splitting the wood was frustrating till you figured it out, right?
Enoch- Being made the Junior Leader was a challenge, wasnt it?
How about any of the ranges, or the day breaking the trail- That was fun, but we were using power tools that had to be handled properly, right?
We did some hard stuff, right?
One of the most difficult things you will ever be challenged with is our topic today.
Our anger.
Is it a sin to get angry? Y/N? Why?
So what we are going to look at today is things we can do to get over having anger management issues.
Our ability to control our anger can lead us closer to God, in those moments where we feel like we may be losing it.
As long as we choose to LISTEN, REFLECT AND ACT WISELY.
1- LISTEN BEFORE ACTING
1- LISTEN BEFORE ACTING
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
Why is listening so important?
We hear a lot of stuff, everything around us, our ears hear it. Most of it is background noise that our brain just filters out.
But if we make a habit of just hearing those around us- Our brain starts filtering them out as well- Then what happens?
Listening is something we have to intend to do. We can only listen- On Purpose.
How can this impact another person who is trying to talk to you?
The faster we learn to actively listen to those around us- The easier it becomes to gain a better understanding of whats going on.
2- BE SLOW TO SPEAK
2- BE SLOW TO SPEAK
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
Misunderstandings happen when we THINK we hear what another person said, only to be totally wrong.
Day to day that can lead to uncomfortable situations- In relationships it can become deadly- Trying to direct or anticipate where a conversation is going will infuriate your friends, family and eventually a spouse.
Jesus modeled this for us by speaking calmly and with authority- But He never used harsh words, except to the Pharisees, who were His biggest critics anyway.
In the biblical story of Jonah, instead of embracing his mission, he gets angry and runs away, only to find himself in a fishy situation!
It’s a humorous reminder that trying to outrun our anger just leads us into deeper waters.
We can all relate it to the classic sitcom scenario where running from a problem usually makes it worse—a lesson to address feelings directly with a smile.
There is an old saying that, “It is better to be thought to be a fool, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
Thats what responding in anger can do to us.
If we are not listening and reacting to WHAT we THINK we hear- We act out and often make a fool of ourselves.
3- QUIET in the STORM
3- QUIET in the STORM
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
What advantage is there to being slow to anger?
How did Jesus respond when He was unfairly judged, Mistreated, wrongly accused...?
Quite often He quoted OT scripture to His accusers.
Can you do that? Do you know your Bible well enough to quote a calming Psalm to someone who is about to blow a gasket?
So if anger management is an issue- The only way to solve it is to be honest with yourself and allow the Holy Spirit to show you where that anger is coming from.
In the adult world, its called a “Root Cause Analysis”
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 15:1, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."
How can we cultivate a habit of being quick to hear in our daily interactions with others?
What practical steps can we take to manage our anger in today's fast-paced environment?
Is living in this, so-called fast paced life any excuse for getting angry?
So: Simple steps to take when anger rears its ugly head-
Be quick to listen- Did I hear that right?
Slow to speak- That quick witty remark probably sounds better in your head then it actually is- Respond appropriate to what you just heard.
Be slow to anger- Is this really worth getting this worked up about?
And remember, while getting angry is not a sin- Letting it control you, is.
“The anger of Man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
