Doers of the Word Pt. 1: Avoiding Anger

Avoiding Anger

How many of us have an anger management problem? How many of us get angry over things that really don’t mean a whole lot? If we were to look at the world in which we live, we would find that there are many people who are angry over things that don’t mean much, but will not get angry when it is time to get angry. We get angry when we think people are stealing votes, but won’t get angry when they are trying to keep people from voting. We get angry when this bill or that bill is not passed, but won’t get angry when there are many who go to sleep without a home and food to eat.

We must understand that life as we see and live it will not be to our liking all the time. There are going to be some moments when we are angry and want to get revenge on people. There are going to be moments when we trials are going to come and we will be angry at everybody. James reminds us in verses 2-4 that these things will happen, but our task or job if you choose to accept it is to have joy. I know what you are saying to me and to James is that you have lost it.

We must understand that in this life we are going to be tested, and if we plan to pass the test then we will have to hold on. James reminds us that the testing of our faith produces endurance, and when we let endurance have full effect in our lives then we are made mature and complete, lacking nothing. We cannot know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. We do alright when things are going good, but how do we respond when the heat gets hot in the kitchen and everything seems chaotic. God is trying to complete us, not keep us from trials and hurts. And so, when anger flairs up and we want to get even, why not seek God and allow God to fight your battles.

You may be wondering what is the definition of the word anger. Anger is defined as a strong feeling or displeasure aroused by a wrong, whether perceived or real. Genesis 4:3-7 says “In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”

James therefore, tells us in verses 19-20 of chapter 1 of these words, “You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore, rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness. and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save souls.” Significantly, looseness in speech is often linked with unrestrained anger. According to Proverbs 17:27, ‘He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.’ All too often, it is uncontrolled anger at someone that leads us to speak too quickly and say too much. While James does not forbid all anger (there is a place for ‘righteous indignation’), he does prohibit the thoughtless, unrestrained temper that often leads to rash, harmful and irretrievable words. Moo, D. J. (1985). James: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16, p. 82). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Let me see if I can put it to you in this way, when we talk too much and listen too little, we communicate to others that we think we know everything and the ideas and thoughts that others have are not important. You know the person that talks and talks and talks and you can get a word in edge wise. What James is asking us to do is put a stopwatch on our lips and listen more intently to what others are saying as well as what God has to say to us.

We get angry when our egos are busted, we are never noticed or recognized, or we are tired of hearing about what he or she has done, is doing, and will be doing next. Even as we look at this Book of James which is attributed to Jesus’ brother, we can surmise that even James had some anger issues because he was viewed as the brother of Jesus and he got tired of being compared. Perhaps he got angry because everybody ran to Jesus and did not look to him for leadership. Whatever the case may be, he was not pleased and his emotions got the best of him. We must understand that uncontrolled anger leads to sin, and sin separates us from the love of God that is found in Christ Jesus.

There are times when anger is okay and that moment is when we decide to do something about the injustices that are plaguing the least of these. This type of anger is called righteous indignation and that means that we are angered because someone has been wronged and we are going to galvanize in the name of Jesus to turn it around. We cannot be angry when things don’t go our way or we feel neglected or offended because selfish anger never helps any of us. So, James advises us to make sure we get rid of all the stuff that is wrong in our lives and to humble ourselves before God. Beloved it is the Word of God that brings salvation and the Word will save us.

As we avoid being angry, there is a lesson we must learn, we must put into practice. We should always listen and hear what the Word of God is saying to us. We should allow the word to become a part of who we are and it should be in our hearts. However, it is not enough to hear and listen to the word. We must also be doers of the word. James reminds us in verse 23 reminds us that “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” Let me help you in this way, if you attend worship, Bible Study and you hear the word being preached or taught and you take it in, but do not apply it your life then you were better off not knowing or hearing it.

You want to be angry at something then get angry at the fact that there are people in this world who are not afforded the same freedoms that we are and are on the verge of being enslaved, beaten, and even killed. You want to get angry, look in the mirror and say that we are sick and tired of our young children being killed in the streets, homes, and every place else for no reason at all. Get angry at the person who kills an eight year-old just because revenge is the order of the day.

You want to get angry, then get angry at the persons in these United States who are trying to make ends meet, but there are persons who think the rich ought to get richer while the poor must scrape for their day to day needs. Get angry because health care is not proportioned for everybody and people have to choose whether to eat or stay healthy. Get angry because our elderly, widowed, and orphans are left to fend for themselves while we sing the song entitled “I got mine, and you got yours to get. So that we do not become stained and polluted by the world, we must commit ourselves to the way Christ wants us to live and behave. The rule is to love God with all we have and our neighbors as we do ourselves. And if we are following Christ, then we must love as Christ has loved.

If you are going to become angry at someone, why not yourself. Every time we see ourselves in the mirror and we walk away as if there is nothing we can do then we are avoiding being angry. Become angry at self because we know that self can do better and the Word of God is there to better us. Trials will come and situations will not always be what we want them to be, but count it all joy because God has your back. Amen.