Sunday, November 9, 2025
“Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:9 KJV).
The verdict is in—guilty of injudiciousness!
Many years ago, a judge noticed a man sitting in the back of his courtroom wearing a hat. Outraged that this individual would be so disrespectful to the court, the judge demanded he leave. Proceeding to further business, the clerk announced the next case. The name of a burglar, out on bond, was called. No one came forward. Suddenly, a voice was heard. The prosecuting attorney was speaking: “Your Honor, that was the man you just dismissed!” It is unknown if the burglar was ever re-apprehended.
Doubtless, it would have greatly benefited the public if the judge had first asked the man to identify himself and/or ordered him to remove his hat. Alas, emotions contributed to recklessness, and that “brilliant legal mind” fell prey to injudiciousness. As King Solomon penned in today’s Scripture, “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” Also from Solomon is Proverbs 16:32: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” Emotions are not evil, but, if they rule us, they become evil. Sound Bible doctrine—the indwelling Holy Spirit using the Word of Christ—should instead dominate what we believe and do (Ephesians 5:18,19; Colossians 3:16).
“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26,27). We ought to always be angry with sin (“And when he [Jesus Christ] had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts,…” [Mark 3:5]). However, the anger we see, hear, and feel in the world is seldom justified. Rather, people are reacting in a petty, irrational, or childish manner because they have not gotten their way. It is not individuals irritated that sin is destroying lives and souls. As the injudicious judge of decades ago, they are throwing fits and doing more harm than good (though he/they had good intentions). Friends, may we judge wisely here.
ATTENTION: Regarding our New Testament Survey Project, we have now begun studying Ephesians verse-by-verse. Watch the introduction video here.
333 Words of Grace 