“Righteousness”

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:19-20

Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of angry people on the internet? People are angry on news sites. People are angry on social media. People are angry in emails. People are even angry in blogs. It all makes me so mad!

James writes about the problem with anger in his letter to the followers of Jesus. I've always thought that he was just writing about how to get along with others and have healthy relationships. But I've discovered that he is also talking about our relationship with God.

Righteousness means living in a right relationship with God. Righteousness involves doing the things that God expects of us in our relationship with Him. And being angry at others or ourselves or God will not help us to live in a right relationship with God. 

I don't know about you, but I don't have enough time in my schedule to be angry. I also don't have enough energy to be angry. I barely have enough time and energy to worry about things. But that's for next week's Word on Wednesday.

In Christ,

Pastor David