We all get a little mad sometimes.
We get mad when someone wakes us up. We get mad when there is too much traffic. We get mad when someone cuts us off. We get mad at slow drivers. We get mad at coworkers. We get mad at our bosses. We get mad at our friends. We get mad at our teachers. We get mad at the bus drivers. We get mad at family. We get mad at our spouse. We get mad at the kids. We get mad at our parents. We get mad the doctors. We get mad at the nurses. We get mad if something doesn’t go our way. We get mad when something breaks. We get mad at what people say to us or about us. We get about who the president is. We get mad about certain lifestyle choices that people choose to make or live. We get mad about abortion. We get mad about the way people treat their kids. We get mad the way people treat their pets. We get mad that people don’t go to church. We get mad about the way some church present the message. We get mad about the style of worship music or songs. We get mad at God when we feel like He is distant or not answering our prayers or doesn’t come through for us.
Mad mad mad mad mad mad mad mad!
It can be exhausting being mad all the time. But I also know some of those things I listed up there are worth being mad about. I’m fact some of you as you read them got mad. Some of you might have even gotten mad because I stepped on your toes a little.
I used to get mad at the littlest things and most of them I listed above. I used to just fly off the handle sometimes for really no reason at all. I used to get mad at what people said about me or to me. I just used to be an angry person. It didn’t take much. But it was exhausting. It was exhausting holding on to all that stuff and being mad for far longer than I needed to be. I knew I needed to do something about it. So I looked at one of the best examples that I could think of....... Jesus.
As I looked through the Gospels, I recalled a lot of the things that people said to Jesus, did to Jesus and even called Jesus. But in all of those instances, Jesus remained calm and did not get angry at them. He never flew of off the handle. He never got physical with them. But the Pharisees, however, were constantly angry with Jesus and that is what lead to their eventual decision to have Him crucified.
But there was one time that Jesus did get angry. He got very mad actually and caused quite a scene. Here is the account of this one instance of Jesus getting mad:
“On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”” - Mark 11:15-17 NIV
But you see in this case Jesus was not just getting mad to get mad - His anger had a purpose.
Motivation
Jesus had the proper motivation for His anger. He wasn’t fired up over a pointless argument or the words of others. He was mad about the way God’s house was being treated.
Focus
Jesus’ anger also had the proper focus. He was not mad at the weakness of the people. He was mad about the behavior of the people and the injustice being done.
Controlled
Jesus’ anger also had the proper control. Jesus was not controlled by His anger or any of the other emotions. Jesus put His anger where it needed to be.
Duration
Jesus’ anger also lasted the appropriate time. Jesus got angry about the situation that was in the temple and then moved on. Jesus did not allow the anger to last past its desired purpose.
The reason for this post is because I have over the last year or so forgotten the things listed above. The reason why I was able to get a hold on my anger is because I realized that Jesus didn’t get angry all the time and when He did it was for a reason. So that got me thinking... why am I so mad? Why do I let the little things get to me like that? Why do I allow anger to consume me over pointless and useless things? Why don’t I save my anger for the things that really matter - the things worth being angry over?
I started this post with a list of things we can get mad at. Most of the things on the list are from my own life. As I typed the things in that list I asked myself - which of these are worth being mad about? Which ones aren’t worth my energy to be mad about?
If there is one thing I learned from Jesus is that there is a time and place for anger and that anger can be controlled. There is also a proper length to anger. “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,”[1]
Anger is an emotion that it hard to control and it will control us if we are not careful or if we give it the space to do so.
I know for me I want to get back to where I control anger and not the other way around. I hope that is true for you as well.
I leave you with this verse....
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” - James 1:19-20 NIV
[1] Ephesians 4:26 NIV
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