Proverbs 14:29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
The man who exhibits temperance in relationship to his spirit shows that he has great understanding. The word for wrath is also translated anger in other passages. There are multiple words used for wrath such as in chapter twenty-seven and verse five, which means hot rage. This word here literally means to flare the nostrils. The temper has been kindled to where there is a change of the visage. The temperate man understands the commands of the Lord in regards to his anger, his own tendency towards a wrongful disposition, and as well understands the effect of his quick temper upon himself and those who are around him. This verse is the Old Testament counterpart to James 1:19. The man who would be quick or hasty in his spirit lifts or raises up foolishness. He literally places foolishness in his life upon a pedestal for all to see. How true it is that every person can see when a person is angry, even when they may try to hide it. The man who loses his temper says and does things that are foolish.
Slow to wrath=great understanding
Hasty in spirit=exalting folly
Proverbs 27:3-4 A problem that every individual struggles with!
The Lord reveals and convicts us of our sins. He may use His Word, people, circumstances to reveal our sins. It is vital that we recognize this conviction, submit to the Word of God, and respond with repentance.
Imagine seeing those that you love struggling to carry a very heavy stone upon their shoulder, or buckets that were weighed down with sand. Would we not want to immediately take that burden from them? Maybe there is a burden that we might be able to remove.
- The Weight of Stones and Sand:
An application can be drawn within the home. As a father I would never ask those in my family to carry a stone
or bucket of sand that is obviously too heavy for them. How many times do I let them carry the heavy burden of a temperament that is not in control?
- The Weight of Anger
- One of the heaviest things to carry or bear is a fool’s wrath. The fool is a man without discretion and discernment. Proverbs 18:11 “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.” He does not control his spirit. Those who are around him are subject to carrying very heavy burdens.
- Proverbs 25:28 He that [hath] no rule over his own spirit [is like] a city [that is] broken down, [and] without walls.
Dr. Terry Coomer, Pastor in Little Rock Arkansas, and a godly counselor states, “Anger is the hidden sin of Independent Baptists.”
Anger is characterized by reacting to circumstances in an out of control fashion.
Three words detail the sin of anger in these two verses:
- Wrath: Kaas-vs. 3 to be provoked to indignation
- Wrath: Chemah-vs. 4 to be heated in hot displeasure; to have burning anger or venomous poison; to be in a rage
- Anger: Aph-vs. 4 to be flared at the nostrils; to be enflamed
The attitudes, words, and then actions are out of control to the flesh. It would be far better to respond Biblically than to react in the flesh.
- Anger is often seen in the husband: how he reacts to his wife, how he reacts to the children.
- Anger can be seen in the wife in how she reacts to her husband or to her children.
- Anger can be seen in the children in how they react to their parents.
Stones are heavy and hard to move, an angry man is hard to be reckoned with. He cannot be spoken to easily for he will not here. Nabal was such an man. He lived up to his name as nabal means fool.
1 Samuel 25:17 (KJV) 17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he [is such] a son of Belial, that [a man] cannot speak to him.
The heaviness of wrath will most certainly cause destruction upon those whom it falls. Just as if one would drop a heavy stone upon his friend, so the damage done by heavy wrath is irreversible.
The heaviness of wrath will most certainly cause discouragement upon the lives of those upon whom it falls. They will feel that they cannot measure up and they will become discouraged with the continually weight that they are forced to bear. It will not be long and they will desire and act upon the desire to get out from under the oppressive weight of the relationship. Sadly this has resulted in the departure of many children from their homes in Independent Baptist Churches. Many fathers discipline in anger, and this fails. Proverbs 22:8 “He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and he rod of his anger shall fail.”
Note as well the cruelty of wrath. Cruel words are spoken. Cruel actions are displayed.
Wrath behaves in a cruel fashion while anger is outrageous. The word literally means downpour, overflow, or flood. May my temper not overflow the banks and may my spirit be in control.
Proverbs 16:32 [He that is] slow to anger [is] better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
David’s mighty men are certainly a joy to study. CR: I Chronicles 11 Many lessons can be drawn from their acts of valor. Perhaps one of the greatest acts of valor and the acts of courage is that of being able to have the characteristic of being slow to anger. Better than having skill and finesse with the sword is that of having skill and finesse in spirit.
Proverbs 14:17 “He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.”
What good is a mighty man of war who cannot control his temper? A man may be able to rule his house and be the strong man in protection of his home, but this is worthless if he is quick tempered and harsh to his children. Perhaps the greatest enemy to be defeated lurks within the walls of his own home. The man who is able to go out and conquer in battle is sure a mighty man, but better than this is the man who is able to have his disposition ruled. May the Holy Spirit rule the disposition and cause men to be under his control-slow to anger. Mighty men are not measured by their prowess on the battlefield, but by their disposition on the Homefront.
Ecclesiastes 7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Ephesians 4:26-27 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.
Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
James 1:19-20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Envy or jealousy is to be desirous of another mans… Desires out of control cause the hurt of anyone that stands in its path.
Emotions and spirits out of control=Anger, wrath, and envy all point the fingers to the problem to a lack of control to the Spirit of God. Galatians 5
Anger problems are control problems!
Will we make a decision to be submitted to the Holy Spirit and to have our spirits under control?