Sermon: The Seven Deadly Sins of Smartphones – Wrath
Praise the Lord for His Word. Today, we continue our series on the seven deadly sins of smartphones, focusing on wrath. As we’ve explored this series, I’ve noted that for each sin—pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth—there’s an app that embodies it. We’ve already covered pride (Facebook) and greed (FanDuel or any gambling or e-commerce app). For wrath, what’s the app? Substack is a good guess, but I’d say Twitter—now X—is the quintessential platform for wrath. For envy, it’s Instagram; for lust, Tinder; for gluttony, Skip the Dishes; and for sloth, ChatGPT or TikTok, apps that outsource our thinking and communication, the very things that make us human.
Imagine C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters with a modern twist: “Dear Wormwood, with these tools, we need not tempt humans to sin—the tools themselves are sin incarnate.” Today, we’re diving into wrath, a sin amplified by the internet, especially on platforms like X, where outrage fuels engagement. Scroll to the comments section of any video, and you’ll see it: people profiting by provoking anger. This happens as much on right-wing media as on left-wing media because anger drives clicks. My plea today is simple: tune out of angry media and tune into God’s Word.
Wrath permeates our digital lives and spills into the real world. Bumper stickers hurl expletives at political leaders. Text messages, dashed off without reflection, breed conflict. A century ago, people wrote thoughtful letters; today, we fire off angry texts and emails we later regret. Proverbs 14:17 warns, “A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.” Anger clouds wisdom, stirs strife, and leads to sin (Proverbs 29:22). The New Testament echoes this in James 1:19-20: “Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” We might paraphrase: “Be quick to listen to godly instruction, slow to tweet, slow to comment.”
Not all anger is sinful. Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” God and Jesus display righteous anger—emotional responses to true injustice, rooted in trust in God’s justice. Righteous anger is necessary for godliness but must always defer to God’s judgment. Romans 12:19 reminds us, “Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” Most human anger, however, is sinful, driven by personal desires or idols—like when I got furious at a stubborn 2,000-pound cow refusing to enter a chute. Proverbs 12:11 notes, “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.” Our anger often reveals idols, like political figures or our own egos, when we rage over criticism.
Proverbs repeatedly calls us to be “slow to anger” to cultivate wisdom and avoid folly (Proverbs 14:29). This reflects God’s character, as Exodus 34:6 declares: “The Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” As His children, adopted through Christ’s sacrifice, we’re called to emulate Him (Romans 8:29). God saves us not just for forgiveness but to conform us to the image of His Son, who is slow to anger.
So, how do smartphones fuel wrath? Three key ways: rage bait, information silos, and anonymity.
- Rage Bait: The internet thrives on provocation. Satirical headlines like “Study: Hate Clicks Drive Web Traffic, and The Princess Bride Is Trash” are designed to spark outrage and clicks. Articles demonizing politicians—whether Donald Trump, Justin Trudeau, or celebrity pastors—play on our emotions. Algorithms don’t care if they lean left or right; they just want engagement. Proverbs 22:24 advises, “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man.” Online, angry voices feel safer, but they shape us to be like them. I once spent hours listening to angry talk radio while reading meters, and it made me angrier. Avoid following influencers or media that thrive on rage, whether on X, YouTube, or TikTok. Instead, walk with the wise to become wise (Proverbs 13:20).
- Information Silos: Algorithms on platforms like Facebook and Google feed us content tailored to our biases, trapping us in silos where we hear only one perspective. This narrows our view and fuels anger toward perceived enemies. Proverbs 18:17 warns, “The one who states his case first seems right, until another comes and examines him.” Silos make it easy to hate, but we’re called to love even our enemies (Matthew 5:44). Tuning out endless news cycles—whether Fox or MSNBC—and tuning into God’s Word brings peace and wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7).
- Anonymity: Online anonymity emboldens us to say things we’d never say in person. I confess, years ago, I created a fake Twitter account to anonymously criticize my denomination’s leadership. It was sinful, and thankfully, friends and my wife called me out, and I deleted it. Anonymity removes accountability, but God sees all. As Christians, we’re called to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), standing behind our words. Proverbs 18:6 notes, “A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating.” Online, there’s no immediate consequence, but we must live to a higher standard.
How to Be Slow to Anger Online:
- Avoid clickbait. Resist the urge to engage with provocative headlines.
- Read God’s Word more than news. It offers peace, not anxiety.
- Own your words. Don’t hide behind anonymity.
- Give soft answers. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Gentleness should be our default.
- Stay out of others’ conflicts. Proverbs 26:17 warns, “Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.”
- Don’t spread slander or falsehoods. Be slow to share and quick to verify.
Ultimately, trust God with justice. Romans 12:18-19 urges, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.” Instead of cursing enemies, bless them. Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, and overcome evil with good (Romans 12:20-21). Let’s be known as Christians who bless, not curse, even when attacked—especially online.
Prayer:
Merciful God, we confess we’ve sinned in what we’ve said or typed. Forgive us and make us like You, slow to anger and abounding in love. Teach us wisdom to walk in Your paths, redeemed by Jesus Christ. In His name, Amen.