ODJ: anger danger
March 15, 2010
READ: Jonah 4
You can keep your overnight bag!” Frustrated that she had missed her flight, the irate woman tossed the proffered package at the customer service agent and marched away. The rest of us who were in line watched the employee shrug his shoulders and shake his head with disinterest. Left to appease customers for decisions that had not been his, he had obviously seen many like her. Detachment had become his way of handling the anger and insults.
Though rarely a productive option, the opportunity to get mad presents itself daily—misunderstandings,
unrealized goals, hurt feelings. The temptation to get angry can come from something as superficial as another car cutting us off as we drive down the road or to the deep wounding of someone walking out of our lives. But we were not created to walk in wrath. While we know that Jesus experienced anger (Mark 3:5, 10:14), Ephesians 4:26-27 tells us, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” Most often, the wrath we experience is not a righteous indignation but an overflow of our self-centered sin nature.
While Jonah was angry that he had lost his shade, he was also mad that God didn’t destroy the people of
Nineveh. Rather than being concerned for this nation that would be lost if they didn’t hear and receive God’s message, Jonah chose to be bitter over His compassion for them.
Jesus taught us to live in such a way that others would see the light of truth (Matthew 5:16). People have difficulty seeing the love of Jesus in us, however, when they’re too busy picking shrapnel from our angry explosions out of their eyes (James 1:19-20). —Regina Franklin
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Why is controlling our anger a challenge? How can seeing yourself as Christ’s messenger help you keep your anger in check?
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