Love Over Anger

We are living in angry times. Our nation, as well as much of the world, is frustrated and angry.

There are two types of anger.

One is a righteous anger that comes because we see an injustice and are moved to confront that injustice.

The other is a selfish anger that comes from me not getting what I want.

Righteous anger is something that should move us to reach out in love to stand against the injustice that we see. It is never an excuse to sin and hurt others physically or emotionally or spiritually. Selfish anger should never be an aspect of our lives.

James addresses anger in James 1:19-21

James 1:19
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

We are to be quick to listen.
We are to be slow to speak.
We are to be slow to get angry.

We are to lead with our ears; and only after we have listened are we to speak; and only when absolutely necessary, when there is an injustice are we to follow with anger.

This is godly counsel in any situation.

It works in:
A Marriage Relationship
A Family Relationship
A Work Relationship
A Church Relation
Even a Relationship with a Stranger

When we become angry, which we will, we need to ask ourselves:
Is this righteous or selfish anger?
Have I really listened to what has been said or done?
How am I to respond so that God is honored?

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

James 1:20
For man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

Anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.

In Romans 2:4 we are told that it is God’s kindness that leads people to repentance.

Our anger and condemnation will not change people.

Our anger and condemnation will not draw people to Jesus.
Our anger and condemnation will not build God’s kingdom.

God’s desire is to change people’s lives as they surrender to Jesus and establish a relationship with Him as Lord and Savior. That will build God’s kingdom.

Love, grace, and mercy are what will accomplish that, not anger.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is allowing God’s love to be the core of our character and our motivation for everything we do.

James 1:21
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

In Hebrews 12:15 we are told not to let any “root of bitterness” grow up in our lives.

James tells us to remove moral filth and evil. James knows these are the things that cause anger in us.

Jesus had neither moral filth nor evil in Him, and all of the anger that He had was righteous anger against injustice.

Instead of letting moral filth and evil lead us to anger, we are to let God’s Word lead us to salvation.

When we are living with moral fifth and evil in our lives and manifesting selfish anger in our lives we will never be humble. God says in 1 Peter 5:5 that He gives grace to the humble but opposes the proud.

We don’t want to be in opposition to God for two reasons:
We are always in the wrong when we oppose God
We will always lose when we oppose God

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is getting rid of anything that hinders God’s Spirit, using God’s Word, to grow us to be more like Jesus.

It is wrong for the color of a person’s skin to be used to judge the person. We are all created by God.
It is wrong for a person’s background to be used to judge the person. We all can be changed by God.

The answer to addressing these injustices is not anger, as we are seeing in our nation today.
The answer is not letting anger lead us to destroy lives, property, or reputations.

Sin motivated by anger is never the solution to sin done against us.

It is time for us as God’s people to:
Fast and Pray
Stand for God’s Truth in Love
Reach across racial, ethnic, and political barriers with God’s love and truth.

There is a huge deficit in leadership in our nation today and we as God’s people, the community of faith, needs to step into that void and lead as Jesus led.

Based on and in the love of Jesus, we are to:
Feed the poor
Defend the powerless
Shelter the homeless
Love the unlovable

We do this because that is what Jesus did. Jesus did it with love, not anger.

With the Love of Jesus, Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
                                               Joe