Slow to Anger - James 1:19,20

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19,20)

Patient Father,
It is clear from this teaching that our natural anger responses are not healthy and slowness to anger allows us to assess our true motives. But it also teaches that, though slow to anger, it is not against your will for us to be anger. There is an anger that is not human anger - anger that is holy, righteous anger.

I pray that these children develop cool heads, an approach to adversity that does not enlist a first response of anger. I pray that they think through situations that tend to anger them and develop a wise and effective response. But I also pray that when righteous anger is called for, when the defenseless are oppressed and abused, that they are bold in action with no tolerance for such behavior.

Amen