PROVERBS 29
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. James 1:19-25
JAMES 1 DOERS OF THE WORD RESISTS WRATH
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Those who love the Lord with all their hearts, souls and minds
Follow the law and the truth that comes from God that makes them new
By doing this, they are able to put away all filthiness and wickedness
Instead, they don’t just hear the word of God but obey it as well
Angry people do not follow the royal law of liberty which is love
They don’t want to work at growing and be accountable for follow God
They continue to look away even though God’s Spirit convicts them
They are so consumed by their wrath that they don’t see them as sin.
I love James’ blunt honesty as he presents the source of human anger in this account. He says that it comes from being quick to speak and to react instead of being quick to listen. He also points out that their disobedience to the royal law of love is another reason why they continue not to be accountable for their wicked ways. In other words, anger was a result of childishness and stubborn spirits. They are making excuses not to grow up and to be responsible for the consequences of their actions. It is easy for them not to do anything or not to change and stay as infants screaming and using anger and manipulation to get what they want. If only these rebellious and stubborn infant-heads would learn to be still and listen, they could spare themselves the trouble and the drama they create. But of course, they love the theatrics of showing big negative emotions because they can manipulate others to give in to their tantrum fit. In Ephesians 4:26, Paul explains the emotion of anger. It is not bad to get angry, but it is bad to sin as you get your anger out. But most of the time, those who have a self-centered existence only use anger to get the supply of attention and to be given what they want.
James explains that one of the root causes of anger is the immaturity and inability to want to develop responsibility and faith. In verse 21, he instructs them to get rid of all the filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive the word of God humbly which is able to save their souls. If they obey God’s law of liberty, they won’t have to continue to be spoiled brats, but responsible children of God.
REFLECTION
· Why do you think doing the word of God is James’ antidote to anger?
