Avoiding The Angst Of Anger part 2

Being Good and Angry. 
Ephesians 4:26-4:32
Proverbs 14:17 17He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

Proverbs 29:22 22An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

Proverbs 16:32King James Version (KJV)

32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Proverbs 19:11 - The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and [it is] his glory to pass over a transgression.

Proverbs 15:18 - A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but [he that is] slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Proverbs 12:16 - A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent [man] covereth shame

Growing up one of my favorite TV shows was the, "The Incredible Hulk." The main character was a scientist named Dr. David Banner. Most of the time he was a nice guy. But when he become angry he would repeat those famous words, “Don’t make me angry, you wouldn’t like me when I am angry.” And if the person ignored his warning right before your eyes he would transform into Lou Ferrigno, this big green monster.
The whole series was built around Dr. Banners search for a cure. Dr. Banner didn’t like what anger did to him and he did all he could to prevent it from happening.
The message many got from the series is that anger is always bad, anger can turn a normal person into a monster. Anger can turn you into someone you don’t want to be. As a result the best way of dealing with anger is to never express it, because anger can be so volital the best way to manage anger is to repress it. And that is how many deal with anger today.

However in Ephesians 4, God gives us a different way of looking at anger. Instead of dismissing anger as evil, Paul tells us that anger can be a good and healthy emotion. Anger itself is not wrong, it is the reasons and motivations for our anger that cause us to loose control.

Let me share with you six ways to look at anger. The first three are positive descriptions of anger and the last three describe what happens when anger takes control.

1. Anger is a normal emotion. (26)
26 Be ye angry, AND sin not: (KJV)

The point is it is possible to be angry and not sin. Anger in and of itself is not bad, God created anger for a good purpose – with good intentions.

You might remember the story of Jesus entering the temple. When Jesus saw what the religious leaders had done to corrupt the temple, Jesus became angry. His anger was not directed at hurting people but at the wrong things they had done in God’s name. Jesus was angry because the people had violated God and His anger was an expression of God’s anger. Jesus demonstrates that it is possible to be angry and not sin. There is such a thing as good anger or Godly anger.

The question we need to ask is: What did Jesus do that allowed Him to express His anger in healthy ways?

The answer is found in His focus. Jesus never allowed His emotions or pain to take His focus off of God and onto himself. Jesus was able to keep God as His first priority even when He was angry.

Our problem is we seldom become angry for the right reasons or motives. Human anger tends to be self-motivated rather than God-motivated. We become angry when someone does something that hurts us or hurts someone we love. Human anger is generally an offensive weapon we use to defend our pride.

As a result, Anger is like a fire. If the fire is controlled, it can be helpful and productive but if the fire gets out of control it can be harmful and deadly. Anger is the same way! Though anger is a natural emotion, we must be careful how we use it because it can have devastating effects.

Aristotle said it this way, “Anybody can become angry… But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way - this is not within everybody’s power….”

In other words anger is a normal emotion, but we must be very careful how we express it.

Avoiding The Angst Of Anger

Avoiding The Angst Of Anger 1                               

19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.  James 1:19­-21

Illustration: Buried Anger Will Explode

  In a 1994 article, "Wars' Lethal Leftovers Threaten Europeans," Associated Press reporter Christopher Burns writes: "The bombs of World War II are still killing in Europe. They turn up--and sometimes blow up--at construction sites, in fishing nets, or on beaches fifty years after the guns fell silent.

  "Hundreds of tons of explosives are recovered every year in France alone. Thirteen old bombs exploded in France last year, killing twelve people and wounding eleven, the Interior Ministry said.

  "'I've lost two of my colleagues,' said Yvon Bouvet, who heads a government team in the Champagne-Ardennes region that defuses explosives from both World War I and II. ...

  "Unexploded bombs become more dangerous with time, Bouvet said. 'With the corrosion inside, the weapon becomes more unstable, the detonator can be exposed.'"  What is true of lingering bombs is also true of lingering anger. Buried anger will explode when we least expect it."     -- Barry McGee, Anderson, California.  Leadership, Vol.

Listen to this paraphrase of James 1:19-21.

"Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life."  

James offers some steps toward overcoming anger.

Be slow to speak (v. 19). 19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath

The Delany twins two centenarian twins have what they call, Graveyard Talk.

  "Know when to keep quiet. When we decide something is private, we'll say it's "graveyard talk." That means it's between you and me and the tombstone, honey."

  -- Sadie and Bessie Delany, Christian Reader, Vol. 33, no. 2.

“Slow to speak.” God gave us two ears and one mouth—there must be a very definite reason for that. There is a real danger of our talking too much.

The story is told about Socrates and a young man who was brought to him to enter his school. Socrates was a school teacher as well as a philosopher. The young man came in and was introduced to Socrates. Before he could say a word, the young man started talking, and he talked for about ten minutes. Finally, when the young man finished, Socrates said, “I’ll take you as a student, but I’m going to charge you twice as much.” The young man asked, “Why are you going to charge me double?” Socrates’ reply was this: “First I am going to have to teach you how to hold your tongue and then how to use it.”

Weigh your words carefully (Prov. 17:28  Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Prov. 29:20. Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.