“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”
Devotional - Luke Humphrey
There are many ways to combat the sin of anger. Proverbs 19:11 gives us two compatible approaches.
Logic
First, the wise teacher uses logic to combat the temptation to hasty, sinful anger. It makes good sense to be slow to anger—it's logical. How often has our hasty anger gotten us in trouble? How many times have we said something in a momentary rage that we wish we could take back? "Just look at it objectively," the teacher says, "it only makes sense that we should be slow to anger."
We can resist anger by using our heads to reason our way out of the temptation.
Glory
The second way to resist is through the heart—it is a glorious thing to overlook an offense. The teacher calls for us to see glory as it truly is.
When we refuse to inflict pain upon those who have wronged us, we show ourselves to be worthy of the respect of others. Often our rush to anger is a way of getting glory back for ourselves—we try to force people to bend to our wills—but being self controlled and overlooking an offense is the path to glory. Because it is the way of God. When we overlook an offense and are patient with others, we reflect the glory of our Heavenly Father who is merciful and slow to anger.
Logic and glory come together to guard our emotions and to train us in patience. May God help us to use these tools to pursue holiness.
“What does God require in the first, second, and third commandments?
First, that we know and trust God as the only true and living God. Second, that we avoid all idolatry and do not worship God improperly. Third, that we treat God’s name with fear and reverence, honoring also his Word and works.”
Fighter Verses
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New City Catechism
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