Deadly Sins and Transforming Virtues Series - 4
ANGER
A friend of mine on Facebook, a mature Christian, started a post this way last Monday morning ...
While out with my family after church yesterday ... I got my attention, as did the story she went on to tell.
We were eating lunch at Applebees. A couple came in with a child of about 6 and a child that was likely between 10-12. The 10-12 year old was in a portable wheelchair, I could tell she had cerebral palsy. I've worked with many young people with cerebral palsy. She had on a waist strap and no other protection. I can tell you that people with this cannot control their movements... so this girl was flailing all over she should have had a shoulder harness and straps on her feet, there wasn't a foot rest on her chair .. she also was making sounds.. obviously trying to get her parents attention. At one point the father got up yanked her back up in her chair and reprimanded her for as he called it " having a tantrum" She wasn't having a tantrum, folks.
The parents and other child proceeded to be served drinks, appetizers and a meal while this girl sat in her chair watching them eat and drooling. At one point the father turned to her and said" Oh you want my steak, you can't chew it" That was the only other interaction given to this girl. Her mother completely ignored her. She had on a light weight jogger type outfit and socks.. no shoes.. no coat.. no hat..
I was so upset I couldn't eat my food. At one point when I went to go to the bathroom I stopped and asked if I could
speak to their daughter.. the dad looked at me oddly but said yes. I said hi to her.. I asked him her name and addressed her by her name.. I told her she is beautiful and her smile lit up the entire restaurant.
I was actually checking her out somewhat. so yes she was clean, her clothes were clean.. she had no sign of abuse although she was thin but not emaciated..her shirt was pulled up so I could see her stomach and she didn't have a feeding tube so that wasn't an issue, her chair was filthy though.
And so I went to the bathroom and cried and pulled myself together and as my family left, these people were getting in their vehicle and I took down their license plate number..
With much prayer I am going to make some calls to see about getting a well check done on this girl. If this family is not getting support with her they need to be because what I saw was not ok, even if she couldn't chew her food.. they could have brought her food she could eat and interacted with her during this outing.. If they aren't neglect/abusing they are on their way to it.
I cannot read those words without tearing up with sadness and tensing up with anger!
That may seem a strange way to introduce a message in this series about Vice and Virtue that will be about anger, but to me, it is great illustration of the importance of being passionate and capable of allowing anger to move you to action! My friend is not an activist. She is a quiet kind woman, who went with her gut and asked the authorities to look in on that situation. I don’t know how it turned out, nor does she. But, I admire her willingness to ‘get involved’ spurred by her indignation.
On Valentine’s Day as the news of the Parkland school shooting broke, I felt myself stirred. Later that evening after our Bible Study, the news brought the update - 17 dead! Something inside of me felt a surge of anger- a willingness to say that this is not right, that we must face the fact that we are broken society, that we can no longer just pass it off as the actions of a person who is mentally ill. Apparently many others felt that way as the voices of thousands asked us to think hard about who we are and what we do.
Then, a second tragedy unfolded as people vented rage some even asking that Nicholas Cruz be subjected to a long, slow execution! Whoa! But, there is a dramatic example of the violence that can grow out of disordered anger!
Somebody joked recently that Christians are reading the Bible wrong. They seem to forget that it says more about anger than sex. I don’t know if that is true, but I do know there are some very clear and practical words about anger in my Bible.
King Solomon, admired for his insight despite his many sins, talked about anger.
Proverbs 29:8 (NIV) Mockers stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger.
Proverbs 29:11 (NIV) A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.
Proverbs 22:24 (NIV) Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered.
Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NIV) Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
“Anger can be a healthy emotion as well as a hellish habit. It can be something we use well or badly.”
(Rebecca DeYoung, Glittering Vices)
I am quite sure that we all know something of Jesus’ anger in the Temple at those in religious authority who were using their power to exploit those coming to worship, insisting that coins of the realm be converted to Temple currency, but at terribly unfair rates; and selling animals for sacrifice at inflated prices. Those of us who struggle with a disorderly temper like that story and point it to justify our outbursts.
I’d like to look at another story from the Gospel of Mark, much less known, but in which we read of an angry Jesus!
READ – MARK 3:1-6
What makes Jesus angry?
A. He is angry at religion that misses the heart of God, at the hard hearts of those who think that their rules (not God’s rule by the way) are more important than the health and well-being of a suffering man.
B. He is angry because He loves the man and sees that those who claim they are acting in God’s name do not love him.
C. He is angry because He loves the Pharisees and knows how their ‘stubborn hearts’ are destroying their relationship with God.
Now note what Jesus does with the anger he feels- He went ahead and healed the man. He did not back down. He did not argue with them. He did not ask his disciples to escort them out of the room. He just does what is good, right, and most loving. What a powerful lesson for you and me!
Contrast His response to anger to that of those who opposed him. The Pharisees were left sputtering with rage, so angry that they went off to find a group of people they despised, the Herodians, to plot a way to kill Jesus! By the way, the Pharisees were scrupulous, to a fault, with keeping Moses’ Law. The Herodians were Jews who were willing to compromise most every standard to gain and keep political favor with Rome! Normally, they were enemies, too. But, their hatred of Jesus united them.
We do not usually think of anger in a positive way, do we?
Yes, it can be a healthy and holy emotion.
· Good anger moved a woman to see that a child with disability will be treated with loving care.
· Good anger stirred me to think long and hard about some old assumptions about schools, guns, and kids!
· Good anger moved Jesus to go ahead and heal a man in spite of the possibility of increasing the number of His enemies!
Yes, anger, even with ourselves, can be a powerful motivation to ‘hunger and thirst for righteousness.’
As DeYoung writes, our anger in those cases rests on justice as the object and love as the expression.
Anger, when coupled with love, makes a person passionate and energized in the pursuit of making things right BUT it is put on a leash by love that resists our natural impulse to destroy those who are doing wrong.
Even in our most passionate moments, we must repeat the words of God, reminding ourselves that we are not given the right to pass judgment. If anybody would have struggled with this, it would have been Paul. He was mis-judged by the authorities, rejected by Christians who turned to false teachers, even sent to face Caesar on baseless charges.
What does he tell that God said to him about his response?
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:17-21 (NIV)
Who does not know that temptation to become vicious?
It does not require a weapon.
Ever used your words to slash and wound, while angry? I have.
Ever been caught up in a dispute and angrily denounced another unfairly? I have.
Ever torn up another person’s reputation because you were offended? I have.
Ever said, “I’ll never forgive them as long as I live?” I have not! But, many do.
Knowing how easily an anger that is healthy and holy can turn into a self-serving, toxic, destructive rage, Jesus teaches us this.
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell." (Matthew 5:21-22, NIV)
In the New Living Translation ...
“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, (some manuscripts add “without a cause”) you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell." (Matthew 5:21-22, NLT)
We must acknowledge that it feels good to think of anger as having healthy and holy expressions, but at the same time, we cannot forget our ongoing struggle with the sinful nature. Until we stand before the Throne, complete holiness will elude us. That is why Paul bluntly tells us “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." (Ephesians 4:26-27, NIV) His warning - Don’t hold onto it. Don’t feed and coddle it. If fed, anger will turn vicious, destructive, and create an opening for you to be exploited by evil and the Evil one! Sobering, isn’t it?
How do we rightly use and control anger?
First and foremost, we take the ungodly, the sinful expressions to Jesus, laying them at the Cross, without excuse or rationalization!
‘Everybody loses it now and then,’ is not an excuse.
‘If you knew him like I do, you’d blow your stack, too,’ is not an excuse.
‘She had it coming after all she’s done to me,’ no, that not an excuse either.
As with all sinful failure, we need to confess our hurtful words, our vindictive actions, our grudges, our refusal to forgive as the sins they are. Only then is the Spirit able to lead us to freedom.
Second, we must understand how we are made - physically and emotionally.
If we burn the candle at both ends, if we do not rest our bodies, if we take on more than we can handle and become strained and short-tempered, there is a remedy: rest!
If we feed ourselves a diet of violence, if we let ourselves rehearse angry speeches inside of our head that make us feel good, we should not be surprised when rage explodes from us in a moment of strain. When anger is stirred, we can learn to redirect it, to process it, and defeat it.
If we live fearfully, we will be much more prone to anger. We have only to look at our nation to see this. What fuels so much of the rage we see, the hate-filled words that find their way onto our Facebook timelines, that make panels shout over one another on news shows? Fear! We are a country that is in the throes of deep, lasting change. When we feed our fear with a steady diet of negative news, with proclamations that the world as we know it is coming to an end, we can grow desperate, like cornered animals for whom survival is all that matters.
Christians need not live anywhere near that kind of Fear! Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Our lives are secured by His Presence and Promise. No we do not retreat into LaLa Land. We do not put on our rose-colored glasses. We see the struggle. We engage with it, praying to be good representatives of our Lord Jesus. And we then live as David sang ...
"The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock."
(Psalm 27:1-5, NIV)
That isn’t just pretty poetry. That is faith’s philosophy!
Third - We put on Christ - His love, His mercy, and His gentleness.
What did Jesus say? "Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29, NLT)
When we are Christians the Holy Spirit of God is resident in us. As we live in Him, responding to Him with love and obedience, Paul tells us that there is evidence of His life that other can see: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV) Those last two components of the Spirit - filled life get lost to us often.
Like Christ, we must cultivate and desire to be both gentle and control of Self. Many of us do not make those choices. Why? Gentleness is seldom admired because we turn it into being a spineless person, incapable of standing up to others. That is not gentleness! A gentle person can be strong, full of conviction, passionate about things in life - all the while submitting himself to Christ Jesus, living a life of love. Gentleness has nothing to do with apathy. Apathy is the opposite of love. Apathy says “I don’t care enough about you, about God, about justice to step up and get involved.” Gentleness says “I care deeply but I won’t destroy you to accomplish my goals.” Yes, friend, it is possible!
Self-control? Let’s admit it. Sometimes giving in to rage feels good. For a moment, rage can intimidate our enemy, make that other person back down, let us feel powerful! Anger, momentarily removes any sense of balance or reason and makes everything simple - black and white, no greys. And, that feels good. But, it is incredibly dangerous because we also can quickly lose control. So-called “Crimes of passion” are often much more violent and bloody than crimes of opportunity such as robbery.
So, Christians pray for the fruit of self-control, allowing God to put anger on the leash of love!
In an angry world, when you are wounded, grieving, or offended, will you trust God?
Will you pray to be like Jesus - gentle and humble at heart?
Will you pray to be passionate about life but kept in God’s control?
This, my friend, will lead us to be angry and sin not for God’s glory and honor and our own well-being.
Amen
