Real Devotional 23

JAMES 1:20 | ²⁰ For human anger does not produce God’s righteousness.

God’s righteousness is a life-producing, truth-honoring person-loving force. Our anger, when our personhood is threatened by someone else, tends to become life-diminishing, truth-denying, and person-destroying. Psychologists say we have four standard responses. We attack and respond aggressively with words or deeds that hurt. We avoid and withdraw, denying someone the opportunity to engage and express. We analyze and categorize, marginalizing by placing another’s view or feelings into our own context and control (my preferred option). We agree and begin shrinking and accepting a diminution of our own selves.

Which is your preferred instinctive response when someone threatens you?

Tags: response