Proverbs 15:18 (17:14), Arsonists or Extinguishers?

September 23, Proverbs 15:18 (17:14)

Mark 7:21-22; Eph. 5:1-2 “Lord, for Sanctified Anger!”

Arsonists or Extinguishers?

Someone who “torches” a building, for whatever reason, is called an arsonist. This is a most serious crime, and is becoming all too common in our cities. How much more serious is the “crime” of “torching” another person’s reputation or that of a whole congregation! “Anger,” says Matthew Henry, “strikes the fire which sets cities and churches into a flame.” Fire begins with little sparks, but the result may wipe out large parks! Surely “the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it?”

1. The Petulant Passionate Person: Today’s verse speaks of a wrathful man who stirs up strife. Here is one who not only starts fires, but also feeds and fans the flames! The word wrathful means furious. It is a burning anger like a poison or venom. A fire-breathing dragon, or poisonous snake seems an apt description of this person! What a shocking image this portrays of the wrathful man! It only takes one such person to destroy a family or a church fellowship. He is one who is often found under the guise of Christian and a church member, just waiting the chance to “slash and burn.” This person destroys a home, and sets brother against brother in the assembly. He or she is eager “to pick a fight” that starts the fire. It matters not how trifling the cause. Like the pathological arsonist, this person is also addicted to the base thrill of seeing another torched reputation or a congregation in a blaze, but, like the arsonist, he is the loser in the end. Passion unmans the man! It is like a fever that leaves its victim weaker than it found him.

All in a heat it makes you run,
But how you tremble when it’s done!

2. The Patient Pacific Person: Our Proverb contrasts this wrathful man with he that is slow to anger. It contrasts the impatient, hot-tempered person with the patient pacific person. This person is ever seeking to appease, to cause quiet, to bring peace, wherever strife breaks out. This is not the quietness of death, but that which comes from true righteousness (Is. 30:15; 32:17). “Peace purchased by parting with principle is profanity,” and there is enough of that nowadays!

Peace is the price, for which the Lord is sold,
And not for thirty pieces, as of old. 

This patient person seeks to pacify, to unite the disputants, to bring water to the flames not fuel, to ease tensions before tempers breaks out. In the hands of this patient pacific person “quarrels die a natural death.” Thank God for the one that is slow to anger. This is a truly god-like quality. Do we not owe our own salvation to that slow to anger on the part of our merciful God? Let us endeavour to adorn our testimony with that quality, and to be followers of God as dear children.

Thought: “People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing” (Will Rogers).

Prayer: Lord, that I might be slow to anger, as Thou art with me.