DRAWING NEAR
August 20
Godly Anger Versus Selfish Anger
"[Love] is not provoked" (1 Cor. 13:5).
Self-centered anger cannot coexist with love.
The great eighteenth-century preacher and theologian Jonathan Edwards
had a daughter with an uncontrollable temper. When a young man asked
Dr. Edwards for his daughter's hand in marriage, he said no. The
young man was crushed. "But I love her and she loves me," he pleaded.
"That makes no difference," Edwards replied, "she isn't worthy of
you." "But she is a Christian, isn't she," the young man argued.
"Yes," said Edwards, "but the grace of God can live with some people
with whom no one else could ever live."
That may seem harsh, but Jonathan Edwards knew what his would-be son-
in-law hadn't yet learned: the presence of selfish anger indicates
the absence of genuine love. "Love," said Paul, "is not provoked." It
isn't given to sudden outbursts of emotion or action. It doesn't
respond in anger to offenses committed against it.
Paul wasn't talking about anger over sin and its terrible
consequences. That's righteous indignation, which Christians are
expected to have. When Jesus drove the merchants and moneychangers
out of the temple (John 2:14-15), He was genuinely angry because His
Father's house was being desecrated. But He never reacted that way
when He was personally attacked or maligned. In the same way, it's
right for you to be angry when others are mistreated, when God is
offended, or when His Word is misrepresented. But love always bears
up under personal attacks.
Such graciousness is foreign to our society, which teaches us to
fight for our personal rights and retaliate when we don't get what we
think we deserve. That has produced greedy and loveless people who
want little more than personal success and comfort. Anyone who dares
to stand in their way is in danger of incurring their wrath.
As a Christian, you must resist such influences by focusing on your
spiritual duty rather than your rights. If you expect nothing from
the world, you won't be angered or disappointed when nothing comes.
Remember, God is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James
1:17). So humble yourself before Him and He will exalt you at the
proper time (James 4:10).
Suggestions for Prayer:
Ask God for the grace to forgive those who wrong you.
For Further Study:
According to Ephesians 4:26-27, how should you deal with anger?
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~~~
John 2:14-15
14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and
doves, and the moneychangers doing business.
15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the
temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers'
money and overturned the tables.
James 1:17
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes
down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or
shadow of turning.
James 4:10
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you
up.
Ephesians 4:26-27
26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your
wrath,
27 nor give place to the devil.
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
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In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
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To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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