Read Pr. 27:3-4
Stones are carried in your hands in front of you and are heavy but sand is usually carried in a bag over your back and is a burden, but even heavier and more of a burden is anger and spite. Being angry is both weighty and a burden. Think of how you feel when you let go of your anger....light and free. Col. 3:8 says, "But now you also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication our of your mouth." The next verse describes anger as cruel, fierce, terrible, and harsh. It is an overflowing flood of emotions that is hard to stop. Once a person starts venting his feelings he can't stop. That's why Ephesians says to be angry and sin not. Jesus was angry at their hard hearts but instead of doing harm he healed someone's arm. It is OK to be angry at the right things but you have to control what you do with it. The end of the verse is the kicker; anger doesn't even compare to envy. Envy drove them to crucify Jesus and it drove Joseph's brothers to sell him into Egypt. Envy will cause people to do the most unlikely things. Phil. 1:15 says that some people preached Jesus out of envy and strife. I wonder what good that did anyone. When we envy the gifts of others or the grace of God on their lives then we are working against God and his plan. We are all part of the same body and when God works through one person he is working through us.
Lord, we confess that we need you. Help us to look to you when we are angry and let you control us. Forgive us when we envy one another. Let us replace that with your perfect love.
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