When the Prophet Nathan told King David the story about “the stolen ewe lamb” (2 Samuel 12), the king became angry—but at the wrong person. “Thou art the man,” said Nathan (v. 7), and David then confessed, “I have sinned” (v. 13). In the garden, Peter
was slow to hear, swift to speak, and swift to anger—and he almost killed a man with a sword (Matthew 26:51). Many church fights are the result of short tempers and hasty words. There is a godly anger against sin; and if we love the Lord, we must hate sin. But man’s anger does not produce God’s righteousness. In fact, anger is just the opposite of the patience God wants to produce in our lives as we mature in Christ.

I once saw a poster that read, “Temper is such a valuable thing, it is a shame to lose it!” It is temper that helps to give steel its strength. The person who cannot get angry at sin does not have much strength to fight it. James warns us against getting angry at God’s Word because it reveals our sin to us. Like the man who broke the mirror because he disliked the image in it, people rebel against God’s Word because it tells the truth about
them and their sinfulness.

Remember: “He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly” (Proverbs 14:29).

Also: 2 Samuel 12; Proverbs 14:17; 15:1, 16:32; Ephesians 4:26-27; James 1:3-4, 19.

Action assignment: List ways that sin harms people. What would be number one on your list? How bothered or angry are you about sin? How much are you considering sin from God’s viewpoint? Talk to God about the matter.

Warren W. Wiersbe
www.backtothebible.in