James 1:19-20
This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger, for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
Anger is one of the hardest temptations for Christians to overcome. Jesus is our perfect example of how to overcome it. He continually faced opposition and insult from those around Him. On the night of His crucifixion, He was beaten, spit upon, and mocked. Yet in all of this, there was no burst of anger. Jesus understood that God was His shield, not hateful or angry words.
How well do you do when friends, family, or authority figures treat you badly, falsely accuse you, or even physically abuse you? Do you model the righteousness of Jesus? There are proper ways to handle every situation. The Bible clearly instructs us that responding to another person in anger is not acceptable. You and I sin when we get loud with our friends, rude with strangers, or talk back to our parents.
Jesus lived a perfect life and died a terrible death for one purpose: to redeem you from your sin. The Bible tells us that because of His death, we are now righteous before God. Such righteousness is not gained by our merit. It is only obtained through the righteousness of Jesus which now dwells inside of us. James tells us that “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” The command is clear: be quick to hear and slow to speak. I challenge you to represent the righteousness of God today.