James 1:19 includes the exhortation to be “slow to anger.” The wise man controls his emotions, especially his temper. While it is possible for anger to be a constructive force when it is guided by virtue (see Mark 3:5 and Ephesians 4:26), more often than not, anger is a destructive force and therefore a deadly vice. How many relationships have been damaged through reckless anger? How often have parents ruined a teachable moment with their kids because of anger? How often does anger keep us from thinking clearly and making good decisions? James wants us to live with wisdom, but anger clouds our minds, distorts our judgment, and leads us down a ruinous path. The wise man will be slow to anger.
It is easy to get angry when we have been wronged. The antidote to anger is often learning how to let love cover a multitude of sins. When we are quick to forgive, we will be slow to anger. The life of J. I. Packer provides a couple good examples of how to handle being wronged without getting angry. In the 1950s, Packer and Martyn Lloyd-Jones began a series of very influential conferences on the Puritans (the English Calvinists). The conference met annually for about twenty years and was a driving force behind the revival of interest in the Puritans. Packer and Lloyd-Jones became close friends and leaders of an influential movement in the Reformed world. But by the late 1960s, Lloyd-Jones, who had strong charismatic leanings, had begun to openly antagonize Packer for remaining in the Anglican church. Despite the open attacks, Packer did not retaliate, but continued to speak highly of Lloyd-Jones as a friend and mentor. But the attacks took their toll, as many evangelicals, especially in Britain, stopped looking to Packer as a trustworthy leader. Packer’s popularity waned, and John Stott emerged as the leading voice of Anglicanism, taking Packer’s place. Packer, once the symphony conductor, had to learn to play second fiddle. He did not express anger, though he was no doubt hurt by what had happened.
Later, Packer had a similar falling out with R. C. Sproul. Packer was a regular fixture at Sproul’s Ligonier Conferences for years. But when Packer signed on to the Evangelicals and Catholics Together project, calling on evangelical Protestants and Romans Catholic to work together on cultural and political projects (while still admitting deep theological differences), Sproul turned on him. Sproul made a number of snide and personal attacks on Packer. Sproul accused Packer of selling out the gospel (a ridiculous charge). Sproul cancelled publishing projects he had lined Packer up to do. No doubt, the criticisms and loss of platform had to hurt Packer, given their close personal friendship, but Packer never lashed out at Sproul. Once again, he was slow to anger.
Packer had plenty of chances to strike back against Lloyd-Jones and Sproul. He authored numerous books, but never once mentioned these men in a negative light. He was a leading contributor to Christianity Today magazine for years and could have used his access to those pages to tell the evangelical world “his side of the story.” But as far as his public ministry was concerned, you would never know what Packer had endured at the hands of his friends. Indeed, after Lloyd-Jones’ death he wrote a biographical essay, stating that Lloyd-Jones had “embodied and expressed the glory of God more richly than any man I have ever known.” He continued to speak highly of Sproul at every opportunity. In short, Packer has demonstrated what it looks like when a man is slow to anger. This is the kind of wise living James is calling us to embody. This is the kind of character that demonstrates our faith.
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