Proverbs 15:18 Commentary and Bible Study

We notice that the first man described already has rage in him even before the grievance arises. It is in his character, and character determines how we are going to respond in a situation. There has been a pattern of behaviour in him in the past and that creates a kind of momentum within him. He is already moving in a certain direction and he is most likely to continue to move in that direction on his next encounter. It is as if the fire has not been put out from the last time he flared up, but is still smouldering, and only a few dry twigs are sufficient to reignite it. He is a man of rage and he stirs up strife or contention. He will feel anger rising up as soon as the least provocation comes, and this will drive his reaction, so that instead of calming things down, he will respond in a way that is disproportionate. If he meets another person like himself, the quarrel will soon escalate to the point of open hostility. This will not easily be removed and is likely to lead to aggression and violence. In a way he loves strife because it produces a certain excitement within him. He is not afraid of where it will lead because he relishes the prospect of crushing his enemy, and the sense of fulfilment that this will give to his justified anger.But another man is ‘slow to anger’ or as the Hebrew says, ‘of long nostrils’ – the Hebrew word for anger being the word for nostrils, derived from the flaring of the nostrils as a result of intense angry feelings. This person has self-control and keeps a firm check on himself. He is aware of the direction his emotions are running in and holds them back, knowing the damage that will come otherwise. He sees intense anger as a form of madness which produces unpredictable results, and he is afraid of what could arise from within him. He does not love strife and would rather calm down a situation and solve problems at a lower temperature. He will therefore take steps to respond in a more mild way that the occasion demands in the hope that his rival will follow suite, for he longs to return to the state of tranquillity which he hopes will be the norm in his community.How do we react when we are provoked? Are we angry in ourselves? We need to control ourselves and have patience even when we are alone, for even the recollection of past injustice can cause us to work ourselves up in a most sinful way. Are we in contention with the Lord and secretly resentful of his providence towards us? Let us give thanks for all his benefits and pray humbly for our perceived needs, submitting ourselves to his will.