Proverbs 19:11: “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, / And his glory is to overlook a transgression.”

June 23rd, 2024 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Ignoring or overlooking an offense is a godly virtue, and this proverb tells us that it is a person’s discretion, their wisdom, that gives them the patience and self-control to be slow to anger. There is another verse in Proverbs that shows us the opposite of this kind of person: “A quick-tempered person stirs up dissension” (Prov. 15:18, NET).

Will Rogers said, “Whenever you fly into a rage, you seldom make a safe landing.” Someone else said that when we get angry and rashly give someone a piece of our mind, it is typically a piece we can’t afford to lose. God’s solution to losing our temper and doing or saying foolish things, which are impossible to take back, is so simple it sounds impossible: forgive, simply overlook the offense against you.

Road rage, an excellent example of NOT overlooking an offense, has become a major problem, not just in this country, but throughout the world. The root of the problem is a lack of self-control or self-discipline. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, and when believers are walking in self-control, they are able to restrain their reactions, watch their words, and master their attitudes. It begins with an uncomplicated prayer of submission to God’s Lordship over our lives. But it is a prayer and attitude that must continue throughout our life here on earth, if we are to remain wise people, who are slow to anger. The more we accept God’s control over our lives, the more self-control He gives us. Self-discipline enables us to think first and act later. Self-control allows us to write a letter in anger but be wise enough to never send it, destroying it and never speaking of it again. Forgive. It is that simple.

“LORD, thank You that You have forgiven us. And because you have forgiven us, You also expect us to forgive others today.”