Slow To Anger

"So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, 

slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not 

produce the righteousness of God."

James 1:19-20

I was walking in a parking lot the other day and witnessed a woman doing a seemingly terrible thing. She started to back out of her parking place and didn't realize a car was approaching. The oncoming car was still a good distance away but stopped abruptly and laid on their horn for dear life. The poor lady backing out stopped, pulled back in her space and waved with a smile, to which she received an angry glare as if she had committed some sort of crime. This is not the first time I have seen such silliness, and most of you have seen similar displays, sadly it's too common.

Does it seem like people are more contentious these days? There was the guy at the gym yelling at the clerk because there were no paper towels, or the lady at McDonalds cursing some poor kid because there was ketchup on her burger. A young man at our church told me the story of a man harassing a flustered young cashier, she got so upset the whole check-out took way too long. The irate man turned to the young guy from our church and apologized for the girl taking so long, I was so proud of his response, he simply said, 'I'm not the one you should apologize to'.

My feeling is that these short-fuses are due to the days we live in. I know of so many people who live on the go, hardly ever slowing down. There are pressures from finances, work, family, car problems, dating problems, not being able to get a date so you can have dating problems, the list of the trials and troubles we can have in life is endless. On top of the usual hassles of life, you add in the twenty-four seven news cycle beamed nightly into our homes, so we witness worldwide troubles and tragedies. It's no wonder there are so many short-fuses waiting to be lit by the least little spark.

As Christians, we are not protected from the headaches of this world, but we are commanded to be slow to anger. Our best safeguard from a short-fuse is to be disciplined in stepping away from the pressure-cooker life and enjoy a daily Sabbath with the Lord. Jesus said that which flows out of our mouths is from the abundance of the heart. If our hearts are filled with His precious promises and praise towards the Lord, and if our hearts are at ease having spent time in His presence, than you can be sure your fuse will not be short. I won't add a new pressure to your life by insisting on an hour long daily Sabbath, that may not be realistic. I do know what is realistic; can you give the Lord ten minutes in His word, can you play some worship music in your car or home? Even those small steps will begin to bring the fruit of His peace. It is a powerful witness to the world when we Christians are able to walk in peace in the midst of this frazzled world.