II Samuel 13-15

“When King David heard all this, he was furious” (13:21). In the terrible case of rape and incest within David’s own family, his reaction was anger, but not action. King David’s refusal to bring justice for Tamar left the door open for her brother Absalom to commit a revenge killing; this murder led to Absalom’s own banishment and resentment. Eventually, Absalom set himself up as someone willing to listen to and help those seeking “justice”, while his father the king did nothing (15:1-6).

James tells us that “human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:20). God calls us not to moral outrage, but to faithful action wherever we have influence and responsibility.