Be slow to anger for human anger does not produce God’s righteousness.  Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. James 1: 19-21

James says be slow to anger for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. So you might as well not be angry. It does not become us.  We  must separate ourselves from people and situations that will make us angry.  At the same time we must cultivate an attitude where the word of god is implanted in our hearts. 

The word here I understand in 2 ways. One is what the bible teaches that we should make a part of our daily routine.  And secondly this must be qualified by what the Word made flesh taught us about navigating life.   Feasting on the common word of the scriptures and Capital Word which is Jesus, James says will save us.  We will learn a meekness that will, I believe, help us to do and be better.

Matthew 15:17 and Mark 7:20 reminds us that evil comes from our heart.  It is in our innermost being that sin and therefore anger starts. in our thoughts which we then put into action.  It is in the heart that evil jealousy and malice are laid and hatched. So we have to protect our heart from impure thoughts and toxic persons and situations.  Our motives must be pure. We should not do anything with an objective to hurt others. We must be sincere at all times.   

It is not about going through the motions.  Isaiah 29:13 says we pay lip service to God and this keeps us from changing to become Jesus shaped people. Isaiah says we get caught up in rituals, not realizing that the rituals are not an end in and of themselves. They point us to God.  And everything we do should be for the glory of God and point others to the glory of God. 

As Christians we are challenged to main good relationships with all, to not cause offence, make mischief nor to mislead others by what we say or do. We must be slow to anger, slow to react in a manner that bears no good.  May, we continue to challenge ourselves to be better persons We do so as the strength of God pilots us. The power of God preserves us. the wisdom of God instructs us. the hand of God protects us. the way of God directs us. the shield of God defend us, the host of God guard us against the snares of evil and the temptations of the world. Where God is all is well all will be well all manner of things will be well.