Appeasing Anger

The anger of the king is a deadly threat;the wise do what they can to appease it.

Proverbs 16:14

You might wonder what “angry kings” have to do with you. Well, we can look at the “king” as anyone who has a position of power, or authority, or influence in your life or circumstances. This could be a boss, a teacher, a board member. It could be a landlord or even someone in your family.

What then, do you do when such a person is angry? It might not be life-threatening, but we know anger can escalate and cause trouble.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is, Have I contributed to the problem? Yes, the “kings” in your life may be unreasonable and hard to get along with, but are you willing to look at your own responsibility? Have you undermined them? Have you given nonverbal signals of disrespect? Have you been slack in doing what they expected and required?

If the answer is yes, then it is the wise and godly thing to do what you can to appease. To appease means to pacify or quiet. Make it right, say you’re sorry. Don’t just do your job: do more, go the extra mile.

What if their anger is unjustified? Well, the thing is, you are still going to feel the heat of it. Wisdom still recommends that we do what we can to appease.

In either case, you will never go wrong when you begin by praying for them. May God give you insight regarding whatever has made them cranky. And may he give you grace to respond with wise and humble kindness.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

I know women who are married to some very angry men. Is that you? Do you feel you can’t do anything to appease his anger? I believe fear and past hurts are often the cause. It seems they vent and almost dare everyone to hate them because they believe they are unlovable. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. How can you survive in such a situation? It is amazing how the psalm selection for today in The One Year Bible (Psalm 119:153-176) seems to be written just for you. Will you read it? Let the words give you comfort and hope.

One Year Bible Reading

2 Samuel 18:1–19:10; John 20:1-31; Psalm 119:153-176; Proverbs 16:14-15