stephen R Harrison

A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless. -Proverbs 14:17

Anger and recklessness haven’t been besetting sins in my life (thank the Lord), but at times they have reared their ugly heads and caused me to hurt people I love. When my wife and I were first married, she accidentally washed my cell phone and wallet because I left them in my pants pocket. I can say it that way now, but when it happened 20 years ago, I was quick to accuse her of intentionally destroying my finances, job, and means of communicating with the world! It was (to my knowledge) our biggest fight, and by fight, I said a couple of mean sentences, she cried, and we parted ways. While driving to work, the Holy Spirit arrested me at that moment and convicted me of the sins of anger and recklessness. I returned home, apologized, and asked my wife to forgive my words and actions that hurt her. 

Anger can manifest itself in various ways. I’ve internalized anger to the point of bitterness and resentment. I’ve allowed anger to develop into malice – deliberate ill will towards someone expressed in gossip, avoidance, and even being short with people. I’ve let anger turn into slander. Paul’s advice has always helped me out in these moments. He said, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31). Proverbs 14 says men must put away all these forms of anger as they know “quick-tempered men display folly” (29). In my years of prison ministry, the most regrettable decisions of murder and violence began in a moment of anger that grew into wrath. Unbridled anger leads to recklessness. A Proverbs 14 man is not an out of control hot head. 

Proverbs 14:17 says, “A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.” We become hotheaded and reckless when we don’t fear the Lord and shun evil. I have a friend who got so angry at God that he tore up his Bible and set it on fire! He has since repented and is flourishing in his walk and calling with the Lord. That anger almost destroyed everything around him, including his view of the goodness of God. I remember him saying he didn’t even recognize the man he had become. His anger caused him to be reckless and react in ways he never thought he would. When God’s conviction set in, his repentance was met with God’s forgiveness and grace. God knows how to heal our deepest wounds and remove the anger that causes us to be Dr. Jekyll one day and Mr. Hyde the next. 

When we don’t walk with the Lord and allow him to correct our souls, we eventually blow up everything around us. It’s not enough to say, “Well, anger runs in my family.” We must allow the Lord to change us and stop blaming others for our lack of self-control and spiritual growth. Proverbs 14:18 continues, “The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.” I must stop the generational sin of my fathers and allow the Lord to crown me with wisdom that says, “I’m not going to be like that anymore. I want to be like Jesus.” Proverbs 14 men don’t allow anger and recklessness to control them. They are Spirit-controlled and formed men whom the Lord changes from rough and rowdy to gentle and lowly (see Matthew 11:29).

An antidote to anger and recklessness, it seems, may be found in the following few verses. “Blessed is he who is kind to the needy” (21b) and “those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness” (22b) contrast despising (21a) and plotting against others (22a). While we may not oppose anyone, we may not go out of our way to be kind to anyone. I’ve learned that being kind and planning to do good can heal an angry, bitter heart. We should direct our thoughts and actions toward helping others. Jesus even instructed us to pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44). One of the root causes of anger and reckless behavior is unforgiveness. Proverbs 14 men are quick to forgive and prevent bitterness from taking root. It’s hard to be angry and reckless towards those you serve and for whom you pray.

Questions to Ponder

1. What causes you to be angry?
2. How has anger caused you to be reckless?
3. What verse stands out the most to you?
4. What other questions came to mind?

Actions to Take

1. Write the first couple of statements about a recurring event that has caused you to be angry.
2. Write a prayer in response to those statements.

Scriptures to Read

Proverbs 15:1, 15:18, 16:32, 22:24-25, 29:11 

Prayers to Pray

Jesus, your Word teaches us to be angry and not sin (Ephesians 4:26-27). Help me to be a man of self control, patience, kindness, forgiveness, and gentleness. Show me areas where I am hot-tempered and out of control. I desire peace and contentment. Help me pursue everything that promotes them. Remove any root of bitterness in my life. Help me to be righteously angry at anything sinful that keeps me from being the Proverbs man you’ve called me to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.