Faithful on Fridays Blog

Our discussion today is another one of those emotional outbursts we find listed in Eph. 4: clamor. Now seriously, who uses this word clamor and yet if you’ve had kids you’ve seen it: a temper tantrum. This word is only used one time in the context of sins to avoid:

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Ephesians 4:31 ESV

A two year old throws himself on the floor, screams, kicks, even pulls their hair, and cries. Not sad, tearful, heart-breaking cries but defiant, angry, or raging cries. Don’t kid yourself, clamor can be experienced by everyone to some degree. We may not throw ourselves on the floor but screaming, harsh words, and maybe even throwing something can occur; the Greek word for clamor is where we get the word ‘crazy’. 

As I researched this Bible-word I was surprised to see it used in many ways and not all negative. Jesus was approached by a woman whose daughter was demonized and she cried out, krazo, to Him in grief, wailing, and needing mercy (Matt. 15:22), a father cries out (krazo) for his son who is demonized to the point of death (Mark 9:24) and begs Him to help, and finally the demon cries out (krazo) and leaves the boy.

This crazy word shows us that if we’re going to let our emotions go to extremes it shouldn’t be because we didn’t get our way but because we need God to intervene. In those stories God came through for passionate people crying out to Him, consequently, He’ll come through for you as well.

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, “Abba, Father.” For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. Romans 8:15-16 NLT

That’s not like a phone call to your dad; that’s a heart-wrenching, grief-filled, cry from the depths of your heart that expresses your passions to a God who is also your Father. The Holy Spirit, then, takes those cries and reassures you of that truth. How comforting.

Jesus understands those emotions we experience because He also experienced them:

While Jesus was here on earth, He offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the One who could rescue Him from death. And God heard His prayers because of His deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered. Hebrews 5:7-8 NLT

So, clamor and act crazy? No, not as a release of anger or self-centeredness; avoid that, however, go ahead and release those emotions to God and believe that He understands and will intervene for you. Also, remember that when He returns there will be no more krazo; our crying will be ended (Rev. 21:4).