In Case of Emergency
Well, as I sit here full of drugs for bronchitis, I'm mellow enough to tackle the last part of James 1:19 regarding anger. Of all the emotions we experience, this one can be the most damaging to us and those around us. Anger, combined with the tongue James speaks of later, can destroy relationships, lives, jobs, government entities, even countries. It is a powerful and vicious tool that is almost always used in the wrong hands.
We all remember the example of Jesus becoming angry at the temple. Since we know Jesus did not sin, this demonstration was more about righting a wrong than an expression of anger. We sometimes call this righteous anger. I fear that we use this example as Christians to justify our anger outbursts.
As I write this I am thinking about the last time I was really angry. I have been doing much better with this due to the help of the Holy Spirit, so this was the first time I had been really angry in a long time. And, of course, I felt that it was RIGHTEOUS anger. Someone I love hurt someone else I love, and I was HOT. I know none of the rest of you probably do this, but when I am really angry I lose some of my ability to be rational. Combined with my tongue, the results were disasterous. I said things I would never say otherwise, in a way I would not typically speak.
Coincidentally, just a few days later I got an email from my sister titled 'Nails in a Fence'. In the story, a young man has a bad temper. His father gives him a bag of nails and tells him to nail one into the backyard fence each time he lost his temper.The first day, the young man nailed over 30 nails into the fence. As time went along, however, this action helped the young boy to be more conscious of his temper and his temper outbursts dwindled down. Eventually a day came when he did not lose his temper at all. Being proud of his accomplishment, the boy told his father about his improvement. The father told the boy that now he should take one nail out of the fence on each day that he was able to hold his temper. Time passed, and the boy finally pulled out the last nail. On that day, the father took his son to the fence and said the following, "You have done well my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. But it won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one."
I can't take back those words I said to my family member. I suspect she will never forget them. And, righteous or not, I sinned in the process.
Ephesians 4:26-27 says:
"In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry and do not give the devil a foothold."
Well, it certainly doesn't say don't get angry, does it? But the key is not to sin while angry. I don't do a great job of that, but it's not a goal of mine to give the devil a foothold. Maybe I need to carry this verse in my purse.....for emergencies.
We all remember the example of Jesus becoming angry at the temple. Since we know Jesus did not sin, this demonstration was more about righting a wrong than an expression of anger. We sometimes call this righteous anger. I fear that we use this example as Christians to justify our anger outbursts.
As I write this I am thinking about the last time I was really angry. I have been doing much better with this due to the help of the Holy Spirit, so this was the first time I had been really angry in a long time. And, of course, I felt that it was RIGHTEOUS anger. Someone I love hurt someone else I love, and I was HOT. I know none of the rest of you probably do this, but when I am really angry I lose some of my ability to be rational. Combined with my tongue, the results were disasterous. I said things I would never say otherwise, in a way I would not typically speak.
Coincidentally, just a few days later I got an email from my sister titled 'Nails in a Fence'. In the story, a young man has a bad temper. His father gives him a bag of nails and tells him to nail one into the backyard fence each time he lost his temper.The first day, the young man nailed over 30 nails into the fence. As time went along, however, this action helped the young boy to be more conscious of his temper and his temper outbursts dwindled down. Eventually a day came when he did not lose his temper at all. Being proud of his accomplishment, the boy told his father about his improvement. The father told the boy that now he should take one nail out of the fence on each day that he was able to hold his temper. Time passed, and the boy finally pulled out the last nail. On that day, the father took his son to the fence and said the following, "You have done well my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. But it won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one."
I can't take back those words I said to my family member. I suspect she will never forget them. And, righteous or not, I sinned in the process.
Ephesians 4:26-27 says:
"In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry and do not give the devil a foothold."
Well, it certainly doesn't say don't get angry, does it? But the key is not to sin while angry. I don't do a great job of that, but it's not a goal of mine to give the devil a foothold. Maybe I need to carry this verse in my purse.....for emergencies.
Smack, Smack--ouch! Another great one! Keep up the good work!! (remember me when you get famous! :-)]
ReplyDelete