David's Anger

I Samuel 25:4-13,21

This passage gives us the story of David and Nabal. We all deal with anger sometimes. Everyone, great or small, gets angry sometimes. Here's a story of a great hero who got angry, very angry.

1. David's Anger was Unlikely.
This was not what you'd expect from a man after God's own heart. You'd think he'd be more forgiving. He showed great patience with Saul, but blew up when Nabal was rude to him. Do people expect you to get angry, or is it unlikely?

2. David's Anger was Unjustified.
They had never come to an agreement. Nabal never agreed to pay David. David did something nice that he wasn't obligated to do, and then expected to be paid for it. Our anger is very often very stupid and unjustified.

3. David's Anger was Unreasonable.
He was going to kill him and everybody and everything, down to the last dog. David took four hundred armed soldiers with him just to get even with someone who was rude to him. Pretty unreasonable. Prov. 27:4 "Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous..." A lot of times when people get angry it is something that won't matter at all in about 5 minutes.

4. David's Anger was Unacceptable.
This vicious unreasonable, unforgiving anger was probably based mostly on pride, which God HATES. There was no excuse that David could give that would make this seem justified. Anger cannot become acceptable in the Christian's life.

5. David's Anger was Unpleasant.
No one wants to be around an angry person. Proverbs 17:1 "Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. " Proverbs 21:19 "It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. "

Be slow to anger:
Proverbs 14:17 "He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated."
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."
James 1:19-20 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."
Our anger is never a part of the righteousness of God. Our anger is not a part of His plan.

David's anger was turned by the reasoning of Abigail. When anger starts to enter your heart, think of how foolish it is to be ruled by anger. Ask God to help you understand how to handle the problem without getting angry.