Clint Morey - Big Sky Writer
Tips from God
TIPS "Slow to Anger"
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TIPS "Slow to Anger"

Tips from God on how to live life well
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Listen to the podcast by clicking the player above or read the transcript below.

Tips from God
Episode 4: “Slow to Anger”

In the previous episode we looked at God’s “tip” to be quick to listen.

I had the opportunity to practice that tip a couple of times since I recorded that episode.

In one case I learned several things about a friend I had known for years.
As he was sharing about something that happened to him a story came to mind from my life that I felt would be perfect to share with him. It was funny and similar to what he was going through.

But then I remembered the teaching to be “quick to listen.”

I chose not tell “my story” and instead asked a few questions to learn more about what he experienced.

It was probably one of the best interactions I’ve ever had with him.

Hopefully you’ve also had several opportunities to be “quick to listen” in your interactions with others.

If you haven’t, I would encourage you to go back to the previous episode. The best way to apply these changes to your life is to do them until they become almost habit. If that takes a week, or two weeks, or longer, it really doesn’t matter. Work on them!

Slow To Anger

Today, I’d like to focus on another “tip” God has given us for how to live life well. It comes from the same verse we looked at in the last episode.

“… let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger”
James 1:19 (ESV)

This time I want to focus on the last item in that list — being slow to anger.

If you read the next verse you’ll see the reason for being slow to anger.

“for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
James 1:20 (ESV)

Got it?

We are to reflect God’s character to those around us.

And what is God’s character?

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
Psalm 103:8 (ESV)

Do we show that to the people we interact with each day?

Or do we show something else?

“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.”
Proverbs 14:29 (ESV)

I don’t know about you but it doesn’t take a whole lot to get me angry.

  • someone cuts me off in traffic and I have a tendency to get angry

  • a driver in front of me goes so slowly that I miss a green light … and they make it through the light … sometimes causes me to get angry

  • someone cuts in front of me in line … well, you get the idea

I was going through my monthly credit card report a couple of days ago and I noticed the deposit for a hotel reservation I had made online about a month earlier was on the report. I had cancelled the reservation shortly after making it but the refund didn’t appear on the report.

So I went online and tried see what the problem was.

It took awhile — about 10 minutes — to work through all the options but eventually I found the reservation and the notice that it had been cancelled. But I couldn’t find any place on the site to ask about my refund.

After a lot of looking I found a phone number to call.

So, I called. I heard a recorded message that said they were very busy and I had the option to solve my problem online. Since I tried and failed at that approach, I decided to hold on.

Then I got to listen to some soothing music. Every couple of minutes a recorded voice told me I was very important to them and my call would be answered as soon as my turn came up. It also reminded me they had a website and everything could be handled online.

I waited.

Then my call was answered — not by a person but by a very nice recorded message. The company has property in several states and it walked me through a list of those states until it reached the state where the hotel was that I had reserved. I punched in the number of the state.

The company had hotels in several cities in that state and so it went through a list of those cities until it reached the one that my hotel was in and I punched the indicated number.

The company had several hotels in that city and it went through the list until I punched the number representing the name of the hotel I reserved.

Finally!

Well, not quite.

My automated voice then gave me some choices — “If you want to make a reservation, press one.” “If you want to change a reservation, press two.” “If you want a refund, press three.”

So, I pressed three.

I got a different automated voice that said, “This number is no longer in operation” and the phone hung up.

At that point I had about 20 minutes invested in my attempt to get a refund and I was back to square one.

I have to admit I was leaning toward getting angry.

But I was also working on this episode of the podcast and I’ve found that God often gives me “opportunities” to apply His word to my life. This was one of those opportunities.

“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”
Proverbs 16:32 (ESV)

So I started the phone call process again, working through the gentle music, the keypad options, and avoiding the number that no longer worked.

It only took two more attempts (and about 15 more minutes) before I actually got a real, live human being to answer my call.

At that point, I had the opportunity to put God’s “tip” on living well into practice. The Bible says,

“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”
Proverbs 19:11 (ESV)

So as I talked to the woman who answered the call I didn’t complain about the difficulties I had trying to get through their system but instead focused on trying to make my phone call a bright spot in her day.

We had a friendly, encouraging chat which I thought was well worth the time it took being on hold.

And I got my refund.

I encourage you to ask God for opportunities to practice this truth in your life.

I’m serious.

Ask God to give you opportunities where you can practice being “slow to anger.”

Before I go I’d like to share a blessing with you from the Old Testament.

“May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may he be gracious to you, show you his favor, and give you his peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26 (The Living Bible)

Until next time … be the reason someone smiles today!

Clint

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Clint Morey - Big Sky Writer
Tips from God
We only get one shot at this thing called life. Wouldn't it be nice if we had an instruction manual with tips on how to do it right?
Well, the fact is we do.
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