Anger is a protective response to something or someone we love. When either is threatened, our protective response comes out as anger. This can be good (Godly anger) or sinful. Consider the following…
Case 1: Someone wounds our child’s spirit with an insensitive comment.
Case 2: Someone insults us (Turn the other cheek is better than anger. Case 1 anger is appropriate).
Case 3: Someone takes advantage of a widow through a scam of some kind.
Case 4: Someone sues us unfairly (Read 1 Cor 6:4-8. Anger here is inappropriate according to Paul. Above it’s proper.)
Case 5: Someone is disrespectful in God’s house.
Case 6: Someone acts inappropriately in your home. (In Case 5 Jesus could be our model. But in our home we might be a little more reserved.
Of course other possible situations are innumerable, but here’s the point. When we get angry, the first thing we need to determine is if our anger is godly or sinful. Are we protecting our own ego… those who are defenseless… or God’s reputation. In other words, are we being selfish or godly?
This is just something I’m trying to work on myself because too many times in my life I’ve responded in anger for the wrong reasons and in the process have wounded other unfairly to their hurt and damaging my Lord’s reputation. My guess is that we may be in the same boat at different points on the river of Christian growth. Just something to think about…
You continue to challenge us to mirror Christ more in every part of our lives! Great observations, great blog!
Thanks Ron!