Luke 6:45 – A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
Of course, everything Jesus said was powerful, and these words of Jesus are very powerful. Jesus said that whatever we say and whatever we do come from what is living and growing in our hearts. These things in our hearts can be good things that the Holy Spirit has placed there. They can be good things like love and words of encouragement that bless others. Or they can be actions or words of anger that hurt, tear down and separate.
When we have love that lives within us then we naturally want to be loving and kind. We want to touch those around us and bless them and make their lives a little more joyful and peaceful. We want to do love with no ulterior motive, we just want to be a blessing to them. Love cannot be quiet. Sure people who love us and bless us can stir up our love, but they cannot stir up what is not there. Love is inherently active. It seeks to bless. Love within is always desiring to bless and love others whether someone is deserving of it or not. We see that love pouring out of us is not a revealing of who others are, but is a revealing of who we are.
When we have anger or hate that lives within us then we naturally spew words and deeds of anger. Anger within will touch those around us and hurt and wound them and make their lives a little less joyful and peaceful. We want to do that with no ulterior motive, anger is not contained, it reveals itself and causes us to want hurt others. Anger cannot be quiet. Sure people can stir up our anger, but they cannot stir up what is not there. Anger is inherently active. It seeks to hurt because it hurts. Hurt within is always desiring to hurt and wound whether someone is deserving of it or not. We see that anger and hurt pouring out of us is not a revealing of who others are, but is a revealing of who we are.
For the one with anger inside, don’t look to blame others. If anger is not within our heart, whether just a little or a lot, then no one can stir a flame that is not there. Instead, realize that what is wrong is what is within us, some people are just experts at poking the embers to make it rise. But if there is no fire, if there are no embers, then they have nothing to poke and stir up. If we have trouble with anger with our spouse, our children, friends, work associates, or whoever, don’t look to blame others. Look within and recognize the anger that is within and needs to get out. Isaiah 61:1 begins to state what the Messiah Jesus would do “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” The Good News is that Jesus saves. He make the spiritually poor rich. He came to heal the brokenhearted and set free prisoners of darkness. One of those darknesses is anger. Anger that was built there resulting from hurt, frustration, or as a defense against these. Jesus came to free us from anger in our hearts and place love there instead. It is of temporary value that darkness is chased away from our hearts and then nothing else takes its place. Evil may leave, but comes back and reclaims a space that is left void (Luke 11:24-26). So the Lord desires to free us from being captive to anger, but then He wants to fill it with love, so that there is no room for anger to return. Let’s cry out to Jesus that we want anger evicted from within us. Ask Him to chase it away, to wash us clean of it and to let love fill the void it left. Then no-one will ever again be able to stir up anger from within us, because it will not be there. Instead, when they attempt to poke the spot that formerly housed anger, they will find that love is now there and they will receive love rather than anger. Finally, stir up love daily, let it grow so that there is no room for anything else to enter. Love remains and grows as it is released to others. It is meant to be given back to God who gives it, and also to give it to each other. Thank you Jesus for setting us free. Thank you Spirit of God for healing us and growing love within us. Praise God the Father who is pleased with us being saved and changed. Praise God! Yes, praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.