The eighth in our series on Biblical love ...
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Since bouts of anger are inevitable, the Word of God sets strict parameters on how it is to be expressed. Anger becomes 'sin' when it is allowed to boil over unrestrained (and refuses to be pacified) ... Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Ephesians 4:26-27
Love puts the brakes on anger, slowing it down for the sake of those who are in harm's way ... A fool always loses his temper, but a wise person holds it back. Proverbs 29:11
By grace through faith, believers are transformed and the 'lion within' is tamed.
God's love toward a lost and dying world sets the standard for how we are to treat one another ... But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Psalm 86:15
A person with a 'short fuse' makes snap judgments, seeks instant vindication, and never grants second chances. Love refuses to jump to conclusions, take revenge, or hastily judge anyone.
Love isn't the absence of anger ... but the management of it. The indwelling Holy Spirit helps us keep it in check.
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