Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:25–32, ESV
Anger and speaking ill of another is not something that our Lord desires for His people and from His people. We are set apart, special, and holy. In our lives, we are to be different from the world. Not that we are to remove ourselves from the world, but we are not to act like the world. In other words, our Lord does not want us to fit in with the regular culture of the world. There should be some level of discomfort for people to act in profane ways around us. This discomfort will drive those who are wholly rebellious against God from us, but the door will be open to those who stay to be witnesses of Christ. The salt in our lives is our witness. If we act like everyone else and speak like everyone else, what are we showing? Are we showing the saving power of our God and the grace that He affords us? It can be easy to let anger overwhelm us and to hold grudges against those who have hurt us. It is easy to avoid people who have hurt you instead of confronting them with your pain. It is more comfortable to walk away and let go instead of seeking healing and reconciliation. I know this in my own life and have been on both sides of being hurt and being left behind. God wants us to act differently. He does not want us to hold onto anger and hurt. He does not want us to cling to our own self-righteousness but desires for us to find peace not only in ourselves but with our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we act and do just as the world does, we are offering nothing to them, but if we live and act differently, we give them the hope that comes only through Jesus Christ. Be bearers of peace and seek to be different from the world.
Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.