“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” Matthew 5:22
August 12, 2022
Jesus lived no sheltered life. He witnessed anger early in life; neighbors quarreling, fits of rage in the streets of Nazareth. Living under the iron fist of Rome provoked many a Jew. The religious leaders in Judaism had conveniently reduced the command against anger to just an act of murder. Jesus knew the difference between wrong anger and right anger. He was never guilty of the former. But Jesus was no pacifist. His righteous anger turned over tables and drove money changers out of the Temple. He expected His followers to overcome sinful anger. It is the mother of a thousand evils. Our society is broken out in road rage incidents, murders at parties, brawls at sporting events, shootings in mall food courts. Remember: Everyone has an anger problem. Like a wasp nest, poke us the wrong way and watch out. Take your anger pulse. Are you carrying around festering resentments? What most easily sets you off? Rude people? Lane changers at high speed in heavy traffic? Do some spiritual triage. Are you alert to a current stress-filled time in your life? In the midst of a temptation ask Christ for strength. Recite some key verses to yourself intermittently throughout the day. Try Proverbs 29:11 on for size. H
A time to pray: “Lord, you know me far better than I know myself. I need help. Far too often I let little things push my anger button. Work in me the grace of self-control.”