Diving Into Love: "It Is Not Easily Angered"

As we continue our study on how to love people by how we treat people, we see an issue that runs rampant across the world today. People are "easily angered" or offended at the least little thing. We know what it means to get angry. In our anchor passage, it says that love does not get "easily angered." When we love people, we decide in advance how we will treat them. Thus, we decide in advance to control our tempers and not get easily angered or offended. When we lose our tempers we are not loving people.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

[4] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. [6] Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [7] It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Let's look at the scriptures now.

Psalms 37:8 NIV

[8] Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.

Proverbs 14:17 NIV

[17] A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.

Proverbs 14:29 NIV

[29] Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

Proverbs 15:18 NIV

[18] A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.

Proverbs 19:11 NIV

[11] A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

Proverbs 22:24-25 NIV

[24] Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, [25] or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.

Proverbs 29:22 NIV

[22] An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 NIV

[9] Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.

Matthew 5:22 NIV

[22] But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

This is saying that it is not good to get angry with people and call them names of contempt like "Raca." Simply? Don't get mad at people and call them names. 

Ephesians 4:26, 31-32 NIV

[26] “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 

[31] Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. [32] Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

This is one of the greatest verses to live by:

James 1:19-20 NIV

[19] My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, [20] because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

We can't love people if we lose our tempers, are easily offended, or easily angered. So, we decide in advance not to do it. Easy peesy.

Love you all dear readers,

Jeffrey Post