Morning, July 13
Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
Jonah 4:9
"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.