Oh me! Right off the bat this morning let me begin with Oh, me! So many, many times I've been this fool. Look at what God is showing us today. He says, "A fool's wrath is presently known." In other words, it is clearly seen and immediate.
Anger is something that attacks everyone of us. Anger within itself is not a sin. The Bible teaches us to be angry and sin not. So the anger is not the sin. It's our reaction to the anger. Many of us would say we are not really angry people. In most cases we are generally nice and calm. But then when something happens, or someone says something we don't like, or even if someone shows us that we are number one with the wrong finger, we react! It could be because we simple take, take and take until we finally explode like a volcano. But really it's because of what this scripture is showing us today.
We are the "immediately" world. We want everything yesterday. We are told to be quick. To think and respond quick. God's word teaches just the opposite of that. It says that we should be slow to speak and swift to hear. James 1:19 - "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:"
I can't say I have always done it this way. I often find myself saying, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." more so than being proud of the way I handled it. You see a fool speaks immediately and without wisdom. A wise man or woman doesn't speak out but listens and then waits. Notice the scripture again... "A fool's wrath is PRESENTLY known". It shows up so quick.
I saw a sign once that said, "It's better for people to think you're a fool than to open your mouth and remove all their doubt". Lord help us all today. Help us to take our anger and control our tongues. Help us not to react to anger or angry situations but rather be calm, quiet and then respond. Lord you know me and you know that I need much help in not being a fool. Thank you Lord and I love you.
