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James 1:19-21 and Ephesians 4:22-32 Review: ● Since we all lives our life by faith (in something or someone), what we are after is not “more” faith, but “good” faith; a trust in God that produces faithfulness in me (identifiable expressions of my connection with him) What James calls the “blessed life”… The “blessed life” is simply about developing a faith that is able to meet any challenge (that speaks to every aspect of our lives… even suffering). ● Wholeness… The ‘blessed’ life is not one that has learned how to use its faith to avoid adversity, but one that has proven able to consistently and successfully meet the challenges of life. * Typically, we measure our progress toward wholeness by our participation in such disciplines as prayer, study of the word and a host of other religious activities. What it has done has allowed us (in essence) to compartmentalize our lives, or at the very least, fail to address our emotional well-being (which seems less than spiritual). * We have to admit that the emotional health of homes in America is at an all-time low. And while we would be willing to concede that, none of us would ourselves as “angry”… that sounds so crude, so base. * Interestingly, in Matthew 5-7, Jesus identifies anger as the trigger for all types of disorder in our lives; and, he speaks about it in the context of “kingdoms”- in my kingdom, everyone does what I want; everything goes the way I want it. * We should be reminded that God’s intention for seeking and restoring a wayward (lost) and broken humanity was “wholeness”; therefore, the gospel cannot be good news if our sins are forgiven, but the rest of my life remains unaffected (forgiveness of your sins is only part of the message). But, the effects of our relationship with Jesus are not immediately recognizable (transformation, by nature, is a process). * Following God does mean that you’ll never have to fake it! You’ll never be required to masquerade as a happy, joy-filled Christian while secretly harboring bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness and anger (that’s an unhealthy disconnect). * But, James indicates, in no uncertain terms, that it is an expectation of Christianity (your identification with Jesus) that you allow God to transform this aspect of your life. Grace, by definition, implies change. Grace is not only described as God’s movement toward us, but God’s interaction in and with us. * No matter what your faith history, your church had certain expectations. Our church expected God’s activity in our lives to help us stop cursing, smoking, partaking of barley-laden beverages and playing bingo. But, we often don’t expect our faith to address such issues as anger, gossip, and bitterness. What I am saying is that we have somehow accepted that you can be a Christian and still be cynical, bitter, contentious, judgmental and angry. * James is writing to a group of people whose adverse conditions have provided plenty of opportunity for reaching the wrong conclusions and responding in an unhealthy manner (wrong conclusions about God, resentment toward God and others, favoritism, etc.) * James suggests that challenging life-circumstances always seems to make us “quick to speak, unwilling to listen and ticked off!” Following the context… Faced with challenging life-circumstances, rather than asking for “wisdom”, we quickly reach premature conclusions based on our limited knowledge of the situation; we protest (blaming God and failing to see the evil within me) and lose perspective. Because of my loss of perspective, I fail to see beyond the circumstances to a larger purpose, my own assessment of the situation is flawed and I get “angry”. All I know is that at this point, life hasn’t worked out the way that I had planned, my anger promotes all kinds of damaging thought-patterns and I start the verbal assault (on God and others who I deem responsible or involved). “Slow to listen…” Reasons why we make lousy judges: 1. Our conclusions are premature and based solely on circumstantial evidence. 2. We don’t have all the facts (“quick to listen” means that you may need more information before you respond). 3. We’re so gullible. 4. We’re partial by nature (our decisions are always fueled by “What’s in it for me”). 5. The rules are always changing (to accommodate our weakness and assist us. 6. The punishment never fits the crime. 7. Mercy is usually optional. * So, when considering how we will respond to either present or past hurts/offenses, we’re really only left with (1) of (2) options: RESTORATION- “getting on” with life. RETATLIAITON- “getting back” at the offending party. Anger… - Is a normal human emotion; a natural reaction to violations of our rights and personal comforts. It immediately postures us “against” something. - Is “directional”; it has to be aimed at something. - Not always negative; it allows us to respond appropriately to injustice and work for the good (constructive). It’s not, in and of itself, sin. Ephesians 4:26 “In your anger, do not sin”. - Helps you identify your convictions and demonstrates either a heart that is being shaped like God’s, or one that is yet to beat in rhythm with his. - Is a signal to our hearts that something’s wrong; something needs to be put right. * We all respond differently based on our temperaments, the level of our emotional health, our circumstances, our family history. Anger is an emotional response that varies from mild irritation to rage (“going postal”). Reflections… ►Anger is the basic human response when life doesn’t go our way! ►Make sure that anger is the appropriate response, not just your immediate reaction. “slow to anger”… not, “never get angry”. * There are times when it’s appropriate to become angry (i.e. when presented with acts of human cruelty and injustice- genocide or abortion, not when your 2 year old spills their juice!) James 1:20 “… man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires”. * Inappropriate expressions of anger are damaging to every relationship and will prevent us from experiencing life the way it was meant to be lived; the life that you have always wanted. ►When others are angry, it’s up to you to respond irrationally! (in a manner that doesn’t seem logical). ►Shut off the flow! Proverbs 10:19 “Don’t talk too much, for it fosters sin. Be sensible and turn off the flow!” * Being “slow to speak” is about our words being thoughtful and intentional. It provides time for you to give attention to your heart and allow God to transform your response. * Scientists suggest that when we’re angry, something physiological happens to us; because of this, we don’t think clearly when we are angry (“cognitive incapacitation”). * Doctors also suggest that the time it takes from an impulse in the brain to the body’s response is about .25 seconds (a quarter of a second). That’s the way God transforms us… moment to moment, opportunity by opportunity. ►Is your goal to speak the truth or to speak your mind; to make peace or to speak your piece? Our society seems to be bent on ensuring that everyone knows how I feel; that I have an opinion and it’s vital that you know it (i.e. bumper stickers, music, t-shirts, etc.) If you need to speak, speak the truth in love; in a manner that seeks the best for the other (Ephesians 4:15). Don’t let your anger distort the facts and speak only words which will promote restoration and health. Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”. Notice the correlation (as in James) between anger and destructive speech. “Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to get angry”… “What conclusions have I already drawn about the person or circumstance? (have I been quick to listen) “Will what I am about to say diffuse the situation (restoration) or incite further damage?” (have I been intentional about my words)
“Is anger the appropriate response?” |
