Slow to anger

https://odb.org/2024/01/24/quick-to-listen

I like James 1:19-20, which says that everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Anger is an issue we all need to deal with, some more than others. As humans, we are emotional beings. Therefore, it is natural to get angry like it is natural to be happy or sad. Just that in anger, we sometimes say things we wish we didn’t. Some say these angry words are a genuine reflection of our hearts. But we usually don’t mean the things we say when angry.

Unfortunately, words may have a devastating impact, and wounds caused by painful words may take a long time to heal. We can’t control what others feel or how they react, but we can certainly control what and how we speak. That is why James says that human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. In the corporate world, we are always cautioned not to react when angry and never write emails when our emotional state is unstable!

Thus, it is best we keep quiet or be slow to speak when angry. Be quick to listen, especially if we are confronted with an angry person. If we respond in anger, the whole situation may erupt in a major quarrel. It may be the most difficult thing to do, but it shows our maturity in Christ if we are able to defuse a heated argument and calm everyone down. Be that peacemaker, the encourager, not add fuel to the fire. The latter may lead to a very damaging explosion. As believers of Christ, it is good to pray in our hearts when angry. Ask Christ to help us keep calm and bring down the atmosphere a few notches. God loves a humble and contrite heart.