James 1:19-20 – My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
This morning my wife gave me a Valentine’s Day card. One line from her card said to me “You are so loving to me, I don’t deserve how good you are.” Honestly, my first thought was “Oh no, what have I done now?” In my mind, it is she who is good to me, who puts up with me. It is me who sometimes misreads the meaning of her words and actions and who speaks before fully understanding. In my mind, with good reason, I accuse myself. I don’t remotely always speak to her and treat her in the loving manner Jesus treats His church. Sometimes (too often) I listen too slowly, speak to quickly and am quick to become angry. Sometimes I think I know what she has intended and don’t like what I think she meant. I understand that at times like these I should communicate better. I should inquire before thinking that she is angry with me, or meaning something that I think is bad (as I view it), I should stop and ask her. But too often (even once a year is too often) I do the opposite of what this verse is saying to me. If I speak back to her in anger, I have failed my wife. She shows me in so many ways how greatly she loves me. She has endured the foolishness of my youthful and immature thoughts, words and actions. She has hung in there with me. Family, she has hung in there with me! That is powerful! And more than that she has continued to love me, even when it was not easy. Often, loving me is not easy. But she does.
When I am slow to listen, quick to speak and quick to become angry, what comes forth can be harsh words that are inappropriate and are a sin to speak. It is not loving her as she deserves to be loved. Shame on me! Really, shame on me! When I am quick to become angry God is not glorified. When I speak in a manner that hurts her I hurt my God. Instead of being patient and loving with her, I then have wounded her heart. Shame on me. God is not glorified in this. My anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. In fact, it is the opposite of how God wants me to treat her. She is his daughter and before God Himself I hurt His daughter. Oh my goodness, what an awful thing that is. My anger rarely is a “righteous anger.” When I easily become angry I am not like God. When I easily become angry I am not pleasing God at that moment. Oh He still loves me, but I am behaving in a way He does not approve Him. When I hurt my wife I hurt the Lord. Ouch! Yet it is true.
When I am slow to listen, quick to speak and quick to become angry with anyone, redeemed and not redeemed, I do not please the Lord. God is not happy if I do not show the world, by my actions and words, His love. If my actions and words are not a testimony to the love and righteousness of God, I sin. When I am not treating others as I want God to treat me then I sin. Thank God for His mercy and love. I praise God and am thankful that He does not treat me as I have treated others. Rick Warren wrote in “The Purpose Driven Life” that we all now EGR people. EGR is an acronym for Extra Grace Required. We all know people like that, starting, too often, with me. May we all be quick to love and slow to hurt. May we all reflect, to the glory and praise of God 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.” In doing so, we truly are a living epistle to the beauty and love of God. 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.