Model the Lord's behavior

Colossians 3:8-10 (NLT)
8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

In this chapter of Colossians the apostle starts out saying we should put away those things of the past and begin to live a new life in Christ. He warns us of the sins we will encounter and tells us to remove the sinful parts of our life. In the verses above the apostle tells us specifically to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, dirty language and lies. We are to look to Christ and become more like him, renewing our life and obtaining a new nature.

The Bible tells us anger is ok as long as we do not sin. But the moment we let rage, malicious behavior, slander, dirty language and lies follow our anger it is too late and we are deep into sin. I will be the first to admit there have been too many times in my life that I went from anger to sin. I, me, and myself - I let my emotions get out of control and entered into a state of rage and behavior that is unacceptable. I may have felt justified at the moment because I wanted to be heard. But there is no justification for sin other than our Savior Jesus Christ. It is Jesus I should have turned to in my moment of anger. It is Jesus I should have given control and allowed Him to show me how to express my anger. It is ok to express our emotions and say we have been hurt, but we can do it without the rage, and without all the negative behavior that goes along with being emotionally out of control. David wrote in Psalm 145:8, “The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” It is the Lord’s behavior we want to model before others.