Bible League: Living His Word Fools are quick to express their anger, but wise people are patient and control themselves.Fools are not necessarily stupid. Rather, they are people who hate wisdom and knowledge (Proverbs 1:22). Instead of submitting to wisdom and knowledge about God and His creation, they follow the dictates of their own sinful selves. Fools, in other words, are rebellious people. They are in rebellion against any principle of wisdom and knowledge that impinges upon them from the outside. They want to do whatever they want, whenever they want. That's why fools "are quick to express their anger." There is nothing holding them back. There is no norm, or law, or principle, or command that they acknowledge and respect to keep them from losing control of themselves. If anyone tries to calm them down, they get angrier still. They are like horses and mules which have no understanding and must be controlled with bit and reins (Psalm 32:9). You can't appeal to the better instincts of a fool. The wise, in contrast, are not necessarily smart. Rather, they are people who love wisdom and knowledge (Proverbs 4:8). Instead of following the dictates of their own sinful selves, they submit to wisdom and knowledge about God and His creation. The wise, in other words, are obedient people. They obey the God-given principles of wisdom and knowledge that impinge upon them from the outside. They want to be in compliance with them and reap the benefits thereof. That's why the wise "are patient and control themselves." The principles of wisdom and knowledge hold them back. The God-given norms, laws, principles, and commands that they acknowledge and respect keep them from losing control. If they do get angry, you can calm them down. Unlike horses and mules, you don't have to control them with bit and reins. You can appeal to the better instincts of the wise. The wise are patient and in control, but they are not passive. The wise are capable of righteous anger and indignation. Like Jesus, they can get angry when they are confronted with great sin, when they are confronted with gross disobedience to the principles of wisdom and knowledge (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 3:5). Even then, however, they are not, like the fool, quick to express their anger. Indeed, they are "slow to become angry" (James 1:19). Today, let us ask God for help in becoming judicious and wise when it comes to the expression of anger. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingIsaiah 16, 17, 18 Isaiah 16 -- Prophecy of Calamity for Moab NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 17 -- Prophecy against Damascus NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 18 -- Prophecy against Ethiopia NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Ephesians 1 Ephesians 1 -- Thanksgiving for the Ephesians; Election and Adoption by Grace NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.”Insight Jesus said, “Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.'' How do we remember Christ in the Lord's Supper? Challenge By thinking about what he did and why he did it. If the Lord's Supper becomes just a ritual or a pious habit, it no longer remembers Christ, and it loses its significance. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Leviticus 13:13 Behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague.Strange enough this regulation appears, yet there was wisdom in it, for the throwing out of the disease proved that the constitution was sound. This morning it may be well for us to see the typical teaching of so singular a rule. We, too, are lepers, and may read the law of the leper as applicable to ourselves. When a man sees himself to be altogether lost and ruined, covered all over with the defilement of sin, and no part free from pollution; when he disclaims all righteousness of his own, and pleads guilty before the Lord, then is he clean through the blood of Jesus, and the grace of God. Hidden, unfelt, unconfessed iniquity is the true leprosy, but when sin is seen and felt it has received its death blow, and the Lord looks with eyes of mercy upon the soul afflicted with it. Nothing is more deadly than self-righteousness, or more hopeful than contrition. We must confess that we are "nothing else but sin," for no confession short of this will be the whole truth, and if the Holy Spirit be at work with us, convincing us of sin, there will be no difficulty about making such an acknowledgment--it will spring spontaneously from our lips. What comfort does the text afford to those under a deep sense of sin! Sin mourned and confessed, however black and foul, shall never shut a man out from the Lord Jesus. Whosoever cometh unto him, he will in no wise cast out. Though dishonest as the thief, though unchaste as the woman who was a sinner, though fierce as Saul of Tarsus, though cruel as Manasseh, though rebellious as the prodigal, the great heart of love will look upon the man who feels himself to have no soundness in him, and will pronounce him clean, when he trusts in Jesus crucified. Come to him, then, poor heavy-laden sinner, Come needy, come guilty, come loathsome and bare; You can't come too filthy--come just as you are. Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 John 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.Ephesians 3:19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Colossians 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Mark 10:4,5 They said, "Moses permitted a man TO WRITE A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY." • But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 1 Peter 2:21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, John 13:14,15 "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. • "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 1 John 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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