Man’s anger and the grace of God. They seem to sit at the opposite ends of the spectrum. But they meet ultimately at the feet of the cross of Jesus.
Some people have a short temper, and they make me wonder what their day-to-day activities look like with their kind of temperance. Many people around us will disappoint, annoy or disregard us. How do those with bad temper deal with them?
I have learned from the Bible that we ought to give allowance to people’s inability to meet our expectations. Colossians 3:13 says, “make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” When we ask for forgiveness from the Lord, He forgives us and loves us without finding fault. However, when it comes to us humans, our temper usually gets in the way.
It is to be accepted that there will always be people who will fail our expectations. The catch is to allow yourselves to be challenged and changed by them. Share on XHow often have I said to somebody (verbally or non-verbally), “you’re getting on my nerves!” without considering how the Lord has given me an allowance for my mistakes. Again, it is to be accepted that there will always be people who will fail our expectations. The catch is to allow yourselves to be challenged and changed by them.
Regarding this note, can we measure our spiritual maturity by what makes us angry?
How about you, what makes you angry?
The Amazing Grace of God
“Having spent time around “sinners” and also around purported saints, I have a hunch why Jesus spent so much time with the former group: I think he preferred their company. Because the sinners were honest about themselves and had no pretense, Jesus could deal with them. In contrast, the saints put on airs, judged him, and sought to catch him in a moral trap. In the end, it was the saints, not the sinners, who arrested Jesus.”
Phillip Yancey, What’s So Amazing About Grace
Grace is a powerful word. It prompts us to love the unlovable and to accept the things that are hard to swallow. It makes us aware that we live in a world where people hurt people, and frustrations are inevitable. It makes us accept that, while there are sinners and oppressive people around us, there are also hypocrites among us – saints who condemn those who are wrong, oppress the weak, belittle the poor, and abuse the prestige of the people are giving them.
The grace of God is so unique that it equalizes us. No single person doesn’t need grace from people, much more from the Lord. It sets the premise that we live in co-dependence with the people around us and total dependence on the Lord’s grace and mercy.
The book I quoted is one of my favorite books by Philip Yancey. It is a book that offers a beautiful subject to delve into – grace, explores the issues surrounding grace – what it is in the light of God’s word and how we become vessels of it. It characterizes the very nature of Jesus Himself and compels us to be the same.
If grace is an ocean, any book that tries to describe and expound it is just a puddle in comparison. It is meant to be experienced, not described. Share on XBut even his exposition is not enough to cover the vastness of the subject. If grace is an ocean, any book that tries to describe and expound it is just a puddle in comparison. It is meant to be experienced, not described.
When the Extremes Meet
What I love about God’s grace is that it melts away my reasons to be angry. It casts my bitterness, breaks the chain of my resentment, and takes away my shame and fear. Perhaps I can say my temper is somehow controllable because I have found the Person who calms my rage within. I know I can trust Him. I know I am in good hands. People may still “get on my nerves,” but His love overcomes me; hence I love. I found grace so I can extend grace to others as well.
