Episode 3

Introduction

Welcome everyone to Episode 3 of Responding to Practical Issues in Life. I want to begin today by asking you this question: When was the last time you got angry and acted on it? It could be with God or someone else – like your spouse, children, parents, girlfriend/boyfriend, colleagues, friends, or it could be even with yourself for whatever reason.

What was the outcome? Did anything good or godly come out of your anger for yourself or for anyone? And I’m guessing that it didn’t.

Did you know, in the midst of suffering and challenging situations, there’s a high propensity toward unrighteous, unhealthy anger and speech that isn’t good and edifying for anyone and definitely not pleasing to God?  

We see that among the Jewish believers to whom James wrote. They have been under pressures and persecutions from every possible angle, for a long time. As a result, they started to develop the feeling of frustration and anger towards God for their situation, which is also starting to show up in their relationship with one another as well.

I believe all of us can relate with that, right? Take for instance the Covid 19 pandemic. God seems to prolong this situation and many of our lives are significantly impacted. Many are frustrated and angry even towards God. When we are under tremendous pressure, or under longstanding issues or tensions, our emotion begins to rise and it shows up in our frustration and anger towards God, one another and even to ourselves.

Human Anger

In today’s passage, James addresses the issue of human anger; he tells us that human anger can hinder the spiritual formation, which the trials we face can bring about. And more importantly, he tells us how we ought to deal with it. This is what he said in James 1:19-21:

My dear brothers and sisters, take note

 of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 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. [James 1:19-21] I’d like to break down this passage in 3 simple points: The Problem, The Solution & The Application.

I The Problem

First, the problem. The problem is human anger. Am I saying that getting angry is sinful? No, even the Bible says us it’s ok to be angry provided we don’t sin. Anger can even move the passion of a person to do something good for others. But over here James is referring to human anger as a result of facing or undergoing trials and challenging situations in life.

So why is that anger is an issue or a problem? James tells us why in verse 20 of chapter 1: “[Because] human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” Listen, God desires to produce righteousness or those godly transformed characters in us out of the trials we face. In other words, trials or difficult situations are like an opportunity that God uses to produce the right or godly characters in us. And James is saying that there’s one thing that can stop that from happening. And that is our human anger.

Every night before my children sleep, we will have a family worship/devotion. A time where we read the Bible, or watch kids devotional videos, sing songs, and pray. There are times when either both or one of my kids will be very playful and don’t pay attention, no matter how nicely I tell them to behave. As a result, I will scold them and stop the family worship as a consequence of their behaviour. So for that night they will sleep without reading the bible, singing and praying together.

Here’s what I learnt about myself. I let my kids miss a meaningful time of worshiping God, not because they misbehaved (although on the surface that’s what it looks like) but primarily because I was angry. James is correct, human anger does not produce any righteousness or godly characters in us that God desires to bring about out of the difficult situations we face in our day-to-day life.  

We may feel better or even feel justified venting out our anger towards God or others for whatever reason. And sometimes we may even get our way. But here’s what James is saying: We will not and never get what God desires for us. So then, what is the solution to the issue of human anger? This leads us to the second point: The Solution.

II The Solution

The solution is God’s written Word or the Bible. After James mentions the issue of human anger, this is what he said in v.21: “Therefore get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent…” (v.21a) “Get rid of” has the idea of putting off or removing your old dirty clothes. Why do we remove or put dirty clothes off our body? Because it’s dirty, right? And if we don’t, we may probably fall sick. Likewise, if we don’t get rid off the filth and evil that is so prevalent inside us and around us, we can fall sick spiritually.

James depicts human anger to moral filth. In simple terms, moral filth means spiritual stubbornness that is present in our human nature, which corrupts our attitude and action. And human anger is like a can opener, which opens a can full of worms. And that is why James instructs us to get rid of anger that brings up all the filth and evil in our relationships with God and one another.

After this, James mentions the solution. He said: “…humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” (v21b) The word “word” in this verse is the written Word of God. The Holy Spirit has already planted or deposited God’s Word in you. And James said, humbly accept or receive the truths from God’s written Word. In other words, make the Bible a priority, your ultimate authority in and for your life. Why? Because this Word – the Written Word of God has the power to save you – save you from the snares of human anger, the moral filth and evil in and around us and the unrighteousness that births forth in us.

I heard a story about this sister by the name of Theresa. She married the man of her dreams, but soon after that went into the pit of a deep depression because of difficult life circumstances. She became bitter, negative and gave up hope in life for many years.  

One morning, a friend visited her. But Theresa would not talk to anyone and simply sit aimlessly and motionlessly in her bitterness, negativity and hopelessness. So her friend sat down quietly beside her and said nothing. After some time, not knowing what to do, in utter helplessness, she just opened her bible and read Psalm 77 to Theresa and left.

A week later, one of the church leaders visited Theresa who was still suffering intensely. Seeing her in that condition, the leader asked if he could pray for her. To the leader’s surprise, Theresa responded and said, "Yes, but before you pray, can you please read Psalm 77. I've been clinging to it for the whole week. It's my lifeline to God."

Psalm 77 is an agonizing psalm of lament. When her friend read Psalm 77 in utter powerlessness, God’s power showed up in her life. We may not know how God’s Word work in us, but we know there are so many stories about how God’s Word saved countless lives. And it is still true today. It can be true for you and for me as well.

So how do we respond to that? This leads us to the final point. God willing, we will continue in episode 4 of Responding to Practical Issues in Pandemic Times. Until then, stay safe and stay tuned. God bless!

Discussion Questions

When was the last time you got angry?

What was the outcome of your anger?

What is God revealing to you today?