Love Is...Not Easily Angered

Love Is…Not Easily Angered

Pastor Russell Henderson

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, NIV.

Anger has become a serious epidemic in society today creating issues such as road rage, homicide, hate crimes, and even rape.  Anger is harmful, even life threatening, to both the one who harbors it and to the one upon whom it is unleashed.   Anger is sparked by numerous factors of life, many of which did not exist a few decades ago.   Stress is a huge factor that can lead to anger: stress at work, stress in the marriage, stress with the kids, stress with the finances.  Another factor of anger is unrealized expectations. Hollywood is constantly telling us what a successful, happy person should look like, and if you don’t meet those standards then you are considered a failure.

While all these things can be legitimate to some degree, the truth is that the enemy, Satan, is constantly at work to spur people to anger.  His goal is to get our eyes off of God, and he knows that if he can stir up anger in our lives he has been successful.  Let’s examine what the bible has to say about anger.

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill ; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

 - Mat 5:21-22 KJV

In this passage, Jesus is expounding on the sixth commandment – “Do not murder”. He first states that unwarranted anger is just as dangerous and condemnable as murder.  The bible does say that there are times when anger is justified, but those who are “easily angered” are almost never justified.  Jesus then goes on to describe how anger can lead to actions worthy of hell itself.

He first addresses the act of saying “Raca” to a brother.  Raca is a term that basically means to call someone empty-headed or stupid.  It is an insult toward one’s intelligence.  But Raca is not as serious as the next step:  calling someone a fool.  The translation of this term is to go beyond insulting one’s intelligence, but insulting their very character.  It is in essence calling them godless and morally corrupted.  Anger may start out small, but if it is not dealt with it will grow into something that will ultimately condemn one to hell.  Ecclesiastes 7:9 tells us that anger rests in the bosom of fools.  In the passage above from Matthew 5, the angry person is trying to call out foolishness in others, when in reality the foolishness (godlessness) is inside him.

The word “anger” literally means to stir.  Something that is being stirred is constantly unsettled.  It is never still – no peace.  Likewise with anger, the angry person is never satisfied or at peace.  He is constantly unsettled and his actions and frustrations affect everyone in his path.

Let’s briefly examine a couple of scriptures from Proverbs 15.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.

-       Pro 15:1, 18 NIV

As we saw earlier, an angry person is never settled.  He is never at rest.  He is constantly being negatively stirred in his spirit.  And just the smallest negative or harsh word can set off his anger.   Angry people are always looking to bring other people into their anger.  They are constantly looking to stir up strife and quarrelling.  It is like a cyclone of anger that sucks everything into itself.

Anger is resentful, bitter, corrupt, and unforgiving.  Show me an angry person, and I will show you a person full of unforgiveness.  Love, on the other hand, is forgiving, it is peaceful, and it is morally decent.

A Christian cannot harbor unwarranted anger for long.  Sooner than later it will corrupt every fiber of his being until he is completely removed from the peace and protection of God.  Are you a person who is easily angered?  Do you find yourself looking for quarrels and strife?  Get filled up with the love of God.  Clothe yourself in his peace and contentment, and be free from your anger.

Love Is...Not Self-Seeking

Love Is…Not Self-Seeking

Pastor Russell Henderson

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, NIV.

When we talk about being self-seeking, at first glance it appears we are talking about selfishness.  While selfishness is definitely part of this definition, the full meaning is actually to insist on getting one’s own way. This could best be translated as one word --  stubbornness.   Now, I believe that there are certainly some good times to be stubborn.  When Michal, David’s wife, saw him worshiping and dancing, she rebuked him.  But David had a righteous stubbornness about him that said, “No one is going to keep me from worshiping the way that I want to.”

But that is not the kind of stubbornness we are speaking of in this passage.  In this 1 Corinthians 13:5, Paul is referring to a stubbornness of will that ultimately leads to rebellion and disobedience.   When you are stubborn and insistent on getting your own way, no amount of teaching or discipline will turn your mind.  You have become unteachable and rebellious.   Let’s briefly examine what the Bible has to say about stubbornness.

If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. They shall say to the elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard." Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.

-       Deu 21:18-21 NIV

Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are far from righteousness. - Isa 46:12 NIV

But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. - Jer 7:24 NIV

There are three things that I want us to notice about stubbornness and rebellion, and they are found in the above scriptures.

God will not tolerate rebellion. (Deut. 21:18-21)  Whether it is the rebellion of a child to his parents or rebellion toward God.  On many occasions God met rebellion with sickness, disease, and even death.  In the Old Testament, the one who refused to obey his parents was automatically stoned to death. Numerous times throughout scripture, God demands obedience over sacrifice.  Why? Because even in sacrifice one can have a hardened heart, but true obedience softens the heart and makes it pliable in the hands of God.

The stubborn are far from righteousness. (Isaiah 46:12)  Let me translate that in today’s language.  The stubborn are not even saved.  If you are far from righteousness, you are not in fellowship with God.  You cannot live a life of total surrender and stubbornness at the same time.  You cannot have your own way if God is to have His way in your life.  Many times in church we will sing the song “I Surrender All” but, sadly, many people are saying “I surrender all….except my will”.  Friends, our will needs to be surrendered above everything else.  When you are fully able to surrender your, God can do anything he needs to do in your life.  Romans 12:1-2 tells us that in order for God’s will to be done in our lives we must (1)offer our bodies (lives) as living sacrifices and (2)have our minds transformed.  God will only use a vessel that is completely surrendered to him.

Stubbornness is equal to back-sliding.(Jer. 7:24)  Jeremiah 7:24 talks about stubborn people who moved backward instead of forward.  It is impossible to grow physically, mentally, or spiritually when you insist on doing things your own way without taking input and guidance from God or others.  Many people don’t like to use the term “back-sliding”, but we must ask ourselves this question, “If one is not moving forward then where are they moving?”  The only plausible answer is “backward”.  I don’t believe in accidental back-sliding and one day waking up to find that I am no longer saved.  But what I do believe is that someone who claims to know God, but allows stubbornness and rebellion into his heart has willfully started on a downhill course.

Do you want to be someone who is full of love?  Do you want to be a vessel that God can use?  Then you must remove all stubbornness and rebellion from your heart.  You must learn how to take instruction and even discipline.  Proverbs 12:1 tells us that he who hates correction and discipline is stupid.  It is important to be teachable and obedient to those who are in authority over you.  Jesus is the only one with the words of life, and it is vital that we stay linked up with him.  Any other path--even our own--will eventually lead us to destruction.  But Jesus will lead us to righteousness and life.

Instead of entertaining stubbornness and rebellion, be a yielded, willing vessel.  Give your heart, mind and will completely to the direction of God, and see the blessings that come in surrender.

Love Is...Not Rude

Love Is…Not Rude

Pastor Russell Henderson

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, NIV.

When the bible refers to rudeness it is specifically talking about our outward characteristics such as how we present ourselves and how we speak.  The biblical definition literally means to act unbecomingly or indecent.  So now the question we must ask is this:  What are the standards by which our outward character is judged?

Ephesians 4:29 instructs us, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”   Unwholesome speech is language that is rotten, corrupt and putrefied.  It is the same language used when Jesus talked about a bad tree bearing bad fruit.  Have you ever smelled a rotten apple?  Every fall my family and I go to the apple orchard to pick apples.  You would think that it smells so sweet with all of the apples on the trees.  However, you can’t smell the good apples because the smell of all of the rotten apples overpowers the good smell.  When your speech is corrupt it smells like those rotten apples, and any trace of decency is covered by your rude character.

You must understand that rude and indecent speech is so dangerous because it is a direct reflection of the condition of the heart.

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." - Mat 12:34-37 NIV

A person that has a rude heart has no choice but to display rude behavior.  On the other hand, a person that has a heart of love cannot display rude behavior because the behavior will always reflect the heart.

Rudeness also speaks of one’s reaction to authority.  Rudeness does not want to comply with any authority figure, but ironically enforces his authority on everyone else.  One who is rude deliberately seeks to hurl insults and is judgmental in nature.  And when you get down to the root of the issue, rudeness is usually the result of unforgiveness.

If love is not rude, then it is polite.  It is always seeking to lift people up, to encourage, and to show grace.  Remember Ephesians 4:29 says our speech should “build others up according to their needs”.  One who is polite strives to put his best foot forward.  He wants to uphold his name and reputation as well the person or idea that he represents.

As Christians we are all about lifting and upholding the name of Jesus.  We want Him to be glorified in all that we do, and we want to give Him a good name.  If we claim to be followers of Christ, the world will definitely develop an opinion of Him based on our character and speech.  How horrible it would be for someone to reject Christ because our rudeness gave Him a bad name.

In all you do, be polite and gracious.  Present yourself in a way that exalts Christ.  Let your speech be saturated with the Spirit.  Be forgiving and compassionate, and remember these words from Galatians 6:1-2.

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Love Is...Not Proud

Love Is…Not Proud

Pastor Russell Henderson

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, NIV.

PRIDE:  to inflate, blow up, to cause to swell up

a) to puff up, make proud

b) to be puffed up, to bear one's self loftily, be proud

From World English Dictionary

1.	pleased or satisfied, as with oneself, one's possessions, achievements, etc, or with another person, his or her achievements, qualities, etc
2.	feeling honoured or gratified by or as if by some distinction
3.	having an inordinately high opinion of oneself; arrogant or haughty

Pride is one of the most destructive character traits that one could posess.  Scripturally speaking, there is nothing positive about pride.  Pride is always associated with wickedness or wicked people.   Throughout scripture pride is directly associated with words such as haughty, arrogant, and lofty.  Actually, these are probably better translations of the original term. 

King James says …love is not puffed up.  This connotes more of an action than merely a state of being.  Pride is more of a state of being, while arrogance involves action.  When Paul says love is not proud (puffed up) he is referring to someone who is purposefully trying to lift himself up above everyone and everything else.  It goes much further than boasting (which we looked at last week).  Pride has to be seen.  Pride has to be noticed.  And pride has to be the best, no matter what it takes.

No good can come from pride and arrogance.  It will always lead to destruction, and scripture gives us plenty of warnings to avoid pride at all costs.

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18 NIV

The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. - Pro 16:5 NIV

Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." - 1Pe 5:5 NIV

Now notice this passage from Ezekiel.

Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest; it towered on high, its top above the thick foliage. .. "'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because it towered on high, lifting its top above the thick foliage, and because it was proud of its height,  I handed it over to the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside,  and the most ruthless of foreign nations cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys; its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it. - Ezekiel 31:3, 10-12 NIV

Notice the key words there:  towered, lifted, height, overshadow.  God opposes pride and arrogance because it is the very nature of the rebellion in heaven.  Satan lifted himself up and decided that he was bigger and better than God. 

You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.  I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." - Isa 14:13-14 NIV

Rebellion is a by-product of pride.  Pride may start out seemingly innocent, but rest assured it will eventually lead to rebellion, which God will never tolerate.

So what, then, is the opposite of pride?  According to scripture the opposite of pride is humility.  If pride is trying to get higher and greater then humility is constantly striving to become lower and less.  If love is not proud, then we could say that love is humble.

Love is always considering others first.  Love is always sacrificing, and love is always giving.  What better way to show love for your heavenly Father than by becoming less so that He can become greater.  What greater way to show love for your neighbor than by putting your own needs and desires aside and going out of your way to meet their needs.

Next time you find yourself becoming puffed up, haughty, or arrogant remember that God opposes the proud, but ALWAYS gives grace to the humble.