Editor’s Note: 

This is the eighth in a collection of spiritual reflections especially for moms of small children on the famous Scripture on Love in 1 Corinthians 13 – perhaps these are the most often quoted verses in the Bible.   This series was written and compiled at the end of 2019 by two of our sisters in Christ – Jan Mitchell and Mary Shapiro (see their bios at the end of this article), who lead a group of young mothers in church and wanted to create a quiet time series for them on the theme of Love. This series is the fruit of that effort. 

1 Corinthians: 13:5 NIV 

“It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered. It keeps no records of wrongs.” 

1 Corinthians 13, has always been one of my favorite chapters. It is so simple but profound. It describes the love God has for us. It shows us how that same love was shown to us by the living example of Jesus. And it gives us a goal to strive for as we love one another, our children and our spouses.

“Slow To Anger” 

I would first like for us to look at part of a James 1:9, everyone should be QUICK to listen, SLOW to speak, SLOW to become angry. I am always amazed at how simple, yet profound the word of God can be. 

As we think about how our love should not be easily angered, it is important to see the progression in this verse. First, we are told to be QUICK to listen. The past few years I have learned so much about what poor listening skills I had. I would say that I was quick to respond, quick to give my opinion, and quick to solve your problem. Through my grief work, I have learned so much about listening. I have learned to see the need others have for me to listen with the “ears of my heart”. That means I listen more than I talk, or I might even remain silent. 

Did you know that Job’s friends didn’t talk for 7 days, but just sat with him? The problem came when they opened their mouths, but that’s a lesson for another day. 

Second, we are told to be SLOW to speak. Don’t we all tend to be opinionated? Don’t forget we were once compared to a leaky faucet. (Proverbs)

Being slow to speak also implies that we should think before we speak. Ephesians 4:29 tells us that we should talk in such a way that it will build others up, according to their needs, that it will BENEFIT them.

If we follow this progression, it will help us be SLOW to become angry. So many times, we act quickly and don’t let ourselves calm down. Being slow to anger causes us to be patient, reflective and forgiving. I love the way The Message Bible reads: lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.

Discussion Questions:

1.      Would you describe yourself as being slow to get angry? With your friends, your spouse, your children, traffic, your boss, etc? A wise woman, Ann Lucas, once said, “who you are at home is who you really are.”
2.      Who makes you angry the quickest and why?
3.      Do my words benefit others?
4.      Do I consider how I talk to each individual in order to build them up?
   
   

What Does Anger Lead To?

The second thing to remember is that in our anger, we don’t want to sin. Ephesians 4:26, “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” I am so glad to know the Bible tells us that we will get angry and that’s okay. The key is to not let it lead us into sin. We have to learn to deal with it that day. Putting off dealing with our anger will just cause us to be angrier, to get resentful or to hold a grudge. 

Have you ever stopped to consider what it means to give the devil a foothold? When all else fails, we can just google it. My granddaughter, Sydney, often tells me that. A foothold is defined as a position usable as a base for further advance. A foothold of Satan is just an opportunity to allow Satan to lead us into sin by holding a grudge or nurturing our anger. It could also give Satan an opportunity to lead us into sin by causing us to harbor resentment or to cultivate bitterness. 

All of this just helps us to see why it is so important that we learn to not be easily angered. The Message Bible says it like this: Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry - but don’t use it as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.

Discussion Questions: 

1.      Why is it so important that we learn to have a love that is not easily anger? 
2.      How can we help our children learn to deal with their anger?
3.      Can you think of a time that you have given the Devil a foothold in your life because you let your anger become sinful?

In closing, here are some practical verses from Proverbs about anger. In your quiet times I am sure you can find more. Take time to hide them in your heart and in the heart of your children.

Proverbs 14:29
Proverbs 15:1
Proverbs 15:18
Proverbs 22:24-25
Proverbs 27:4
Proverbs 29:11
Proverbs 4:23

I encourage you to find more proverbs in your own study to add to the list.

Discussion Questions:
How can I help myself and my children to hide some of these scriptures in our heart?
What creative ways can we work this into a family devotional?