Spurgeon: July AM
* 07/13/AM
"God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry?"
--Jonah 4:9
Anger is not always or necessarily sinful, but it has such a
tendency to run wild that whenever it displays itself, we should
be quick to question its character, with this enquiry, "Doest
thou well to be angry?" It may be that we can answer, "YES."
Very frequently anger is the madman's firebrand, but sometimes
it is Elijah's fire from heaven. We do well when we are angry
with sin, because of the wrong which it commits against our good
and gracious God; or with ourselves because we remain so foolish
after so much divine instruction; or with others when the sole
cause of anger is the evil which they do. He who is not angry at
transgression becomes a partaker in it. Sin is a loathsome and
hateful thing, and no renewed heart can patiently endure it. God
himself is angry with the wicked every day, and it is written in
His Word, "Ye that love the Lord, hate evil." Far more
frequently it is to be feared that our anger is not commendable
or even justifiable, and then we must answer, "NO." Why should
we be fretful with children, passionate with servants, and
wrathful with companions? Is such anger honourable to our
Christian profession, or glorifying to God? Is it not the old
evil heart seeking to gain dominion, and should we not resist it
with all the might of our newborn nature. Many professors give
way to temper as though it were useless to attempt resistance;
but let the believer remember that he must be a conqueror in
every point, or else he cannot be crowned. If we cannot control
our tempers, what has grace done for us? Some one told Mr. Jay
that grace was often grafted on a crab-stump. "Yes," said he,
"but the fruit will not be crabs." We must not make natural
infirmity an excuse for sin, but we must fly to the cross and
pray the Lord to crucify our tempers, and renew us in gentleness
and meekness after His own image.