Matthew 21: 12-13 NKJV
Some people find it amusing while others find it apalling. Our emotions of anger can be useful as well as destructive. Personally, I've sometimes found it amusing to watch someone come unglued for no reason at all. Did the person displaying their anger find it funny? Probably not. Of course, anger when used the wrong way can be extremely destructive. From domestic violence to violent crime, the news is filled each day with those who are angry at one thing or another. Like the rest of our emotions which God has given us, our anger can be used for good as well as evil. Most of us are all too familiar with the wrong side of anger. In the past week here in Portland, one perosn was killed by police in a domestic violence situation. One other man was arrested after firing a AK-47 assault rifle at officers. Again, yet another domestic violence situation. My dad, once a deputy sheriff himself, would often say that domestic violence calls were the worst he and his fellow officers could be called to. All too often, the very person they were there to help would turn against them as they tried to arrest the other party. Of course, law enforcement in our communities see the wrong side of anger in people each day. The wrong side of anger on full display. Now, you may ask yourself, is there a "right" side to our emotion of anger? Well, Matthew 21 we see what many have refered to as Jesus' "Righteous" anger at the money changers in the temple of God. Was Jesus' first reaction to overturn the tables of these scoundrels? Did He first consider relating to them some kind of parable, as He so often did, to teach them the error of their ways? We can only speculate on this point, for scriptures only tell us that He went into the temple to throw out the money changers.
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1: 19-20 NKJV
Did Jesus' wrath in the temple produce the righteousness of God? Whatever His intentions were, I'd say that He got His message across. One might ask, was Jesus' anger at the money changers right or wrong? Well, first one would need to fully understand just what these men were doing in Gods temple. See, the money changers were just that, exchanging currency for the purchase of "clean" animals for sacrafices to be offered by the people of Isreal. Keep in mind that the law required a sacrafice to be a "unblemished" animal for a sacrafice. Yet another law requirement to be followed by the people. So, in essence Jesus was right, these men had turned His Fathers house into a den of thieves with their little side business. This is why I see Jesus' actions here as righteous anger. In essence, anger with a cause. For Jesus did not seek to harm anyone, only to protect the sanctity of His Fathers temple. There could be no more righteous cause than that. So what of that anager which we see each and every day? The anger which we ourselves may engage in? Whether or not we see our anger as justified or not, it is not for us to judge. I'll put another idea out there, when we allow our anger to burn against another person, are we not judging that person? I'm sure we all know the teaching of Jesus in the sermon on the mount concerning judging others.
"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Matthew 7: 1-5 NKJV
So, how can I be angry at someone when I have my own issues to deal with? As Jesus put it, I should first deal with my own back yard before telling someone they should mow theirs! Sound familiar? Are we angry at that person who cuts us off in traffic? Well, how's my own driving? Are we angry at someone for the way they treat us? How do we ourselves treat those around us? Remove that plank, then we will see clearly enough to help others. I recently found myself harboring some pretty angry thoughts against a good friend of mine. Now, I consider this man to be a close brother to me. Of course, my own pride has also played a part in this situation. My anger at my friend has, in my mind, made him into a fallen sinner due to his behaviors. However, not once did I turn my gaze unto myself to see just what issues I was dealing with. I was that hypocrite Jesus spoke of. How do we handle our anger? I believe we can find a good start in James 1. As James tells us, we should be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath. For in this we will simply listen, not speak out of anger.
~Anger is a weapon only to ones opponent~
~Scott~
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