The Danger of Anger

What makes you angry? Like, really angry? Boiling mad? About to blow a gasket, mad? Are there certain things that make you instantly infuriated? How do you react when you’re this upset? Do you become dangerously angry? Is your wrath a menace to everyone around you? Well, if you think that I don’t struggle with a temper, and that I always respond like I should when annoyed, you best think again. Let me illustrate. 

The sign reads, “Left Lane closed ahead, merge right.” Not 500 feet down the road there is another sign that states the same thing. In fact, for the last two miles there have been numerous signs directing drivers to merge into the right lane. And yet, there are always these selfish jerks who think their time and their lives are way more important than everyone else on the highway, and they refuse to merge as instructed. Instead, they wait until the very last second, when they’re ahead of as many people as possible and inconsiderately cut in line. Uncaringly causing the congestion to back up even more. All the while, those who had the courtesy and decency to do as the signs instructed, and merge into the other lane when directed, have been stuck, sitting in traffic (sometimes for a lengthy time), largely because of the thoughtless behavior of these self-absorbed drivers. It is my opinion that state troopers should be assigned to each of these interstate traffic jams and immediately arrest (if not shoot on sight) every single person who does this. Few things make me transform from the mild-mannered Bruce Banner to the hostile Incredible Hulk any faster than this!

If you cannot tell, just reliving this experience by typing out the words gets my blood pressure up. But the truth is, that example is only one of the numerous frustrations in life that can make me (and others) super angry, super quickly. In these occasions it is easy to justify our anger (at least in our own minds). After all, people are doing wrong, not obeying the law, and acting inconsiderately. Therefore, it is easy to defend our unbridled rage and categorize our fury as “righteous indignation,” or a “holy anger.” But if people knew what was really going through my mind during times like this, it is a far cry from anything righteous or holy. 

Now don’t misunderstand me, not all anger is wrong. We have the right to get angry when we (or another) have been wronged. Sadly, fallen men do far, far worse to one another than cutting someone off in traffic. And when someone has legitimately been hurt, injured, or wronged, we have the right to be angry. In fact, we should be upset by sin in every form, including our own. God Himself is angered by the wickedness and depravity of fallen men (Psalms 7:11-13, Romans 1:18-32). God hates it when people sin against one another. If you think injustice grieves you, how much more does it grieve the Holy God who created us in His image! 

There is indeed such a thing as righteous anger. For example, Christians have the right to be angered when God’s Name is maligned and blasphemed. Parents have the right to be angry when their children stubbornly disobey. Spouses have the right to be angry when their partner is abusive or unfaithful. Citizens have the right to be angry when the government acts unjustly. Motorists have the right to be upset when pompous drivers don’t obey the law and endanger others. On and on, we might go. So yes, we have every right to be angered by actual (and not just perceived) wrongs.

Having said that, what we do not have the right to do on these occasions, is to act (or react) sinfully – just because we are angry. We must not allow our emotions to run away with us, even when we are 100% in the right. To be angry is human. To blow one’s top and needlessly throw fits of unrestrained rage is inhuman and sinful. Just think … how many thousands of people have been killed in a moment of uncontrolled anger? Countless marriages have been destroyed because of someone constantly flying off the handle and threatening. And far too often, road rage leads to real fights! 

Candidly, it is unreasonable to expect someone not to have any reaction at all, when they have been egregiously wronged. And we have the right to defend ourselves, our loved ones, and our property. But that does not mean we have the right to fly into a fit of unbridled rage at every offense. This is particularly true for the confessing Christian. Those who desire to honor God, must be careful how they handle the wrongs, less they add sin to sin. No, we cannot control what others do to us, but we can control how we react. God’s Word says in Ephesians 4:26, “Be angry and do not sin; and do not let the sun go down on your anger.” The Bible doesn’t say, don’t be angry … the Bible says, don’t be angry and sin. Or, control your response to keep from multiplying immoral behavior. That may seem impossible, given the brutal things that are sometimes done, but the fruit of the Spirit is self-control (Galatians 5:23). The Spirit-filled Christian can respond to injury in a way that expresses our hurt, anger and disappointment, without blowing their top – or ruining their testimony. 

The best way to illustrate how we should react to wrong is to look at Jesus. He was rightly angered that the Temple had been turned into a place of dishonest business dealings, rather than a house of prayer. So, on two different occasions, Jesus drove out the crooks and turned over the tables of the money-changers. Yet, even in His holy fury, He did not sin. Or to say it another way, Jesus flipped over the tables, but He never flipped out. When false accusations were made against Him, Christ remained silent. When He was beaten, mocked and scourged, He never cursed His abusers or threatened them. Even when Jesus was nailed to a Roman cross, He prayed for forgiveness for those who had wronged Him. Jesus is the perfect example of how to rightly endure wrong, and turn vengeance over to God. 

I guess that means I ought to show more patience with you self-centered knuckleheads who refuse to merge when you’re supposed to!? I should, but I am not Jesus … so don’t count on me letting you in! Which reminds me of just how much I need the Gospel and God’s forgiving grace. 

What about you? Is your anger a danger to others?