November 8, Mind Your Business

Today’s reading: Psalms 36-40

“Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing” - Psalm 37:8.

The context of this verse is anger that comes from observing the wicked and seeing how they seemingly prosper and enjoy a carefree life. The psalmist advises the person who is fretting over someone else’s good fortune, especially someone who seems to be unworthy, to let it go! If you spend your time fretting over the inequities of life, you will become more and more consumed with the issue, and your anger will spill over into other areas of your life — making you a not-so-nice-or-happy person to be around. What’s more, it’s really not much of your business how God chooses to deal with anyone else. The disciples were angry when the Samaritans showed disrespect to Jesus, and this is how Jesus responded to their anger:

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?’ But Jesus turned and rebuked them” (Luke 9:51-55).

Are you angry at someone else or some other people group? What is that anger doing to you? Would Jesus approve of your attitude? If not, what are you going to do about it?