Your anger does not produce God’s righteousness

“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness” (James 1:19-20).

You say you want God’s righteousness?

Then you have to make room for it.

How?

By giving God your anger. Empty it out to God so that you have room for God’s righteousness in you.

If the fire you already kindle within yourself is anger, what room is there for God to kindle the fire of the Holy Spirit in you?

The thing about anger is: It feels like righteousness. It passes for righteousness. In front of the right people, it looks to them like righteousness.

Anger is not righteousness. It is false righteousness. It is self righteousness. Anger is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Do you know who that wolf is going to eat after it’s done shredding the neighbors, strangers, and enemies Jesus Christ taught you to love?

You. The wolf is going to eat you.

The righteous world that God seeks to create is not one covered in corpses. The corpses of people who let their anger burn toward each other in the name of “righteousness.”

The end of your anger is that you end up as one of those corpses.

It is an election year, so beware: Your anger will not lead to God’s righteousness. Do not believe and do not follow anyone who tries to stir up your anger in the name of righteousness. He or she is a false leader who will take you far from the righteousness of God.

You will feel anger, yes. God forbid you take your anger to social media! Take your anger to God in private and leave it with him to be handled between the two of you.

And, leaving your anger safely in God’s care, turn to the Christian work of proactively loving your neighbors, strangers, and especially your enemies. This is the way of Jesus Christ that leads to God’s righteousness.