David had just said, “I guarded everything that belonged to this man (Nabal) in the wilderness for nothing. He was not missing anything, yet he paid me back evil for good. May God punish me, and even more if I let any of his men survive until morning.”
– 1 Samuel 25:21-22

What causes you to be angry? Brian Barnes set a record for the most putts ever needed to sink a three-footer during the 1968 French Open. After blowing an easy putt for par, Barnes tried to rake the ball back into the cup and missed. Losing total control, he hit the ball back and forth over the cup until he finally holed out. The result—a 12! Anger is all around us as we go through our daily lives. Road rage, domestic violence, soccer riots, bean-balls, late hits, intentional fouls and the list goes on.

King David knew about anger. He had protected Nabal’s servants and land which allowed the servants to work without fear and thus produce more. David’s men were not even paid for their good deeds. When David sent some of his men for a portion of the harvest in which to feed his men, Nabal insulted them and refused to give them anything. When word got back to David, he exploded. He was ready to kill Nabal and every male in his family. David’s anger was out of control. Does your anger sometimes cause you to lose control? As Christians, we are called to a higher standard. If we take a moment to think about the mercy God has shown us, it might be a little easier to offer a little forgiveness to those that upset us. It’s a challenge, but God calls us to be men and women of integrity, letting His Word and our conscience be our guide.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being a God of mercy. Teach me to be slow to anger and quick to remember your grace. Amen.