The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression. Proverbs 19:11
Anger and frustration at other people come very easily for most people. It can be seen on the road, in the workplace, at the store, in the home and nearly everywhere else. News is loaded with articles about angry people. Someone is always angry with someone else. Most often people act in fits of anger because of something that occurred in a way they did not like.
Solomon says that the man who has discretion will be slow to anger and he will have glory when he overlooks a transgression.
People often get angry over the smallest of issues. Someone is driving too slow in front of them. Someone checks out groceries too slow. Someone said something that was mean. The pastor stepped on someone’s toes. The pastor didn’t say hello at church. And the list goes on.
In the heat of the moment, people will often say things out of extreme anger and hit something or someone. Others will take their anger out on someone else, often family members or friends or co-workers.
Instead of getting angry immediately, the believing wise person will stop for a moment and use discretion. The person will try to determine if the transgression was on purpose as a mean thing to do or just an accident or done for some other innocent reason. One will try to look at what was done through the eyes of the person who did it.
Acting in this way will cause one to slow down and not get so angry in the moment and will overlook many minor faults. It is responding in the same was as God responds to sin against Him. He does not immediately strike out and kill but is patient and calling the person to repentance.
There will be times in which things will be done against you that are hurtful and there will be things that occur that go against you. Anger may try to rise up and grab you and cause you to do, say or think things that go against God’s way for you to live.
Take a moment to stop and use some discretion in the situation. Seek God’s peace and direction. Be slow to getting angry and allow God to deal with everything.
Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that God will open your eyes to discretion in tough situations; that God will help you to slow down to getting angry; and that God will give you strength to overlook transgressions against you.
Picture by Magda Vrabetz on Unsplash
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