Daily Devotional For Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Good morning everyone. Yesterday, we looked at the topic of anger. As we all know, anger is something that everyone experiences as an emotional reaction towards others as well as an emotional reaction from others towards them. Nowhere does the Bible tell us not to get angry. Rather, God tells us not to let our anger lead to sin (Ephesians 4:26). Psalm 4:4 says, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent” (NLT). Proper or righteous anger is a sign of a godly spiritual life and health.
Proverbs 29:11 says, “Stupid people express their anger openly, but sensible people are patient and hold it back” (GNT). This is why we must be careful because sometimes we can have a righteous anger – anger against human trafficking, abortion, child abuse and etc. – and we lose control of our anger that leads us to sin. We hate sin and the pain and wreckage it causes, but if we nurse our anger, it tends to become more personal. This can lead us to hate the perpetrators and of course, hating another person is a sin. As we saw yesterday, Jesus warned us how this can lead to murder in our heart of that person or persons (Matthew 5:@21-22).
Puritan Thomas Boston said this about anger: “What began so properly becomes a matter of pride and then, as the Puritan Thomas Boston said, becomes “evil in itself, and dishonorable to God; being the vomit of a proud heart and unmeekened spirit” (Source: Thomas Boston, The Complete Works of the Late Rev. Thomas Boston, Vol. 4, p. 357).
When this happens we become worse than the offender and end up being a victim of our own anger. Christian writer Frederick Buechner put so right when he wrote these words:
“Of the seven deadly sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontation still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back; in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you” (Source: Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC, p. 2).
This is why we must control and deal with our anger. Even if our position is right, if we lose control of our anger, then we are no different than the person we were angry with at that moment. If we vent out anger thoughtlessly, it can burn others, ourselves and destroy relationships. If we keep our anger inside, we can become bitter and resentful. This is why anger must be dealt with quickly.
In Ephesians 4:26 , Paul tells us “to be angry and not sin.” Paul was not encouraging us to have uncontrolled fits of rage, cancerous bitterness, temper tantrums, profanity and physical violence. Instead, Paul is referring more to anger that is righteous, godly and is against sin. What I see a lot today is more anger in traffic, anger in families and in other relationships over minor, petty, and insignificant issues. We need more anger from God’s people over sin and injustices. I think for these issues we remain too silent and simply let sin abound.
Our voices need to be heard over the unborn, starving children around the world, animal cruelty, domestic violence, addictions, and the lack of holiness and godliness among those who claim to be a Christian. To remain silent is to encourage sin and evil. We have to speak up for those who are being hushed and put down by overwhelming powers. I remember a quote by a German pastor on the Holocaust who said this:
“In 1937, German anti-Nazi activist and pastor, Martin Niemoller, was arrested for questioning one of Hitler’s appointments. He was held without trial at the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp to be “re-educated” for 8 months. When he refused, in 1938, he was transferred to the Dachau Concentration Camp. Reflecting back on his unwillingness to oppose Hitler, Niemoller wrote this famous poem from his concentration camp cell: “When Hitler came for the Jews, I did not speak up because I was not a Jew. When Hitler came for the Communists, I did not speak up because I was not a communist. When Hitler came for the trade unionists, I did not speak up because I was not a trade unionist. When Hitler came for the Catholics, I did not speak up because I was not a Catholic. When Hitler came for the Protestants and me, by that time there was no one left to speak up for me” (Source: Pastor Martin Niemoller, Congressional Record, No. 14, October 1968, pp. 31, 636).
Assignment: When you see an injustice, how do you tend to react or respond? When you get angry, are you controlled or are there times you lose control? Knowing what triggers you to release control must be identified if you wish to keep your anger from leading to sin. Or, if you internalize your anger, why? Fear of ruining a relationship? Fear of losing control? Jesus got angry about the right issues and vented His anger in the right way. How might you do the same?
Scripture To Meditate On: Proverbs 19:11, “Godly people know how to hold their tongue and their anger; their grandeur is to forgive and forget lest they sin” (PAR).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I need wisdom from Your Holy Spirit on when and how to express anger. I do not want to be silent on what makes You angry. I don’t want to be silent when I should speak and I don’t want to speak when it might lead me to sin. Please show me how I can emulate how and when You expressed Your anger. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly