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This summer I’m preaching through the book of Proverbs, spending some time listening to what the Bible has to say about wisdom and wise living. Proverbs was essentially a manual on wisdom that a father or wise mentors would go through with children so that they could learn to live wisely and make good decisions with their lives. As many of us know, we face many decisions in our lives where the rules don’t necessarily apply, where we are in need of Godly wisdom.

Proverbs is filled with practical wisdom on many issues, including marriage and child raising, relationships, decision-making, conflict, money, temptation, and many others, and we’ll be going through some of those this summer to learn what it means to live wisely. This morning I want to read some passages that deal with an emotion that has the potential to derail your wisdom: anger. I wish Proverbs were grouped by topic, but since it’s not, let me share a few relevant passages with you.

Proverbs 14:16-17 A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless. A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.

Proverbs 14:29 A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.

Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:18 A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.

Proverbs 19:19 A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control

Proverbs 29:22 An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.

The gist is that harsh words and a quick temper lead to foolish things, dissension, and committing many sins. And I think we know this to be true: How many times have you said things in anger that later you looked back on and regretted saying?

Speaking harshly and being hot-tempered leads to destruction in all areas of your life. It can destroy your health, as anger makes you more likely to have a heart attack. It can destroy relationships as you use words like weapons. And it can destroy communities and churches. Acting in anger will cause you to make foolish choices that you will end up regretting.

One of the verses that is the most interesting to me is 29:11 – A fool gives full vent to his anger. Giving full vent to your anger is not cathartic, but will eventually lead to more anger; it may make you feel better for the moment, but it does not make you a less angry person in the long run.

Anger is a dangerous thing, and many things that are said and done in anger have terrible consequences.

So go and do not be angry anymore. Amen.

Just kidding. I think that’s what many people think the Bible’s teaching on anger is: anger is bad, and angry people are not loving people. But that’s not at all what the Bible teaches. The Bible’s teaching on anger is much more complex than that.