“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
– James 1:19–20
“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.”
– Ephesians 4:26–27
Now I’ve seen a thing or two from my spot on the back porch. I’ve watched squirrels trespass, delivery trucks rumble in like invading armies, and the neighbor’s cat strut across my yard like she pays the taxes.
And I’ll tell you something honest — there’s a growl that rises up in a dog before he even thinks about it.
It’s quick.
It’s hot.
It feels justified.
But my human doesn’t train me to lunge at every rustle in the bushes.
He teaches me to sit.
James says be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry. That’s hard when your fur is standing up and your pride’s been poked.
Anger feels powerful in the moment.
It feels like taking control.
But according to the Scripture my human has read out loud… anger doesn’t produce the righteousness God desires.
That means my growl might make noise — but it won’t make holiness.
Now Paul tells us in Ephesians that anger itself isn’t automatically sin. Even a good dog can bark at real danger.
There are things that should stir us — Injustice
Cruelty
Sin that harms the innocent.
But here’s the leash: “In your anger do not sin.” And don’t let the sun go down on it.
In other words, don’t curl up at night chewing on what upset you at noon.
Because when we nurse anger, we crack the door open.
And Scripture says that’s how the enemy gets a foothold.
Just a paw in the doorway.
Just enough space to start shaping our tone… our thoughts… our testimony.
I’ve learned something about anger.
It burns hot, but it doesn’t burn clean.
It leaves a smell in the room.
It changes how folks hear you.
It hardens your heart quicker than you realize.
Jesus’ way is different.
• Quick to listen — that means I stop barking long enough to hear.
• Slow to speak — that means I don’t bark just because I can.
• Slow to anger — that means I let the Spirit settle my fur before I react.
Sometimes the strongest thing a believer can do is stay still when everything in them wants to snap.
You see, anger under control becomes strength.
Anger out of control becomes damage.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t take away our passion — He purifies it.
He teaches us when to bark
When to be silent
And when to simply trust that the God sees what we see.
So today, when something rubs you wrong — when someone cuts you off, criticizes you, misunderstands you, or steps on your last nerve —
Pause.
Sit.
Listen.
Let the Spirit leash your tongue before your anger drags you somewhere you didn’t mean to go.
Because righteousness grows best in hearts that are ruled —
Not by reaction… but by God.
And that is better than any growl.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
