Reject Anger
Like listening to a speech underwater
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Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. For human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.
James 1:19-20 (NET)
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I’m a pretty even-tempered guy.
I like to let things flow around me and either ignore them or adapt (depending on what side of my personality I let drive).
Even so, there’s been plenty of times when my anger has boiled up.
Often when we’re angry we “can’t hear” people who are talking to us.
Not literally, obviously their words are making it into our ears. But there’s a fog of distraction that makes it so when I get angry I cannot comprehend what I’m hearing.
It can feel like listening to someone speak while underwater…
I know they’re making noises, but for the life of me I cannot understand them.
I think that’s why James puts such emphasis on slowing down & listening intently.
It can be tough to let the anger go, to allow my blood to stop boiling and really lean in & listen to what you have to say.
But just because a thing is difficult doesn’t mean I should ignore it.
In fact, the difficulty makes it even more worthwhile.
No one celebrates moving from one end of the couch to the other. But we’ll celebrate climbing to the top of a mountain after a hard hike. The difficulty makes the destination rewarding.
Anyway, I’m rambling a bit.
I guess I should be quicker to listen & slower to type, ha ha.
It’s the patient person who rejects anger that can accomplish God’s righteousness. And that is an encouraging — yet challenging — thought.
— Ricky Ketchum
Copyright © 2025 by Ricky Ketchum. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
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