Good and Angry?

Anger! It’s truly a powerful force – and unresolved anger issues can ruin a life!! Take,
for example, the story of FBI agent turned Soviet spy – Earl Pitts. Pitts was raised on a
farm in Missouri and was a Future Farmer of America. He had great parents and was a
captain in the army who thought of himself as a true patriot.
So how did he take a giant left turn in life? In 1983, Pitts fulfilled his lifelong dream
by going to work for the FBI. He was assigned to the New York office but found it hard
to live on his $25,000 salary. Morale was poor in the office and petty cheating on
expense accounts was pervasive. Pitts felt humiliated when he had to ask his father
for a loan and felt ‘overwhelmed’ by a sense of rage at the FBI.
One morning Pitts decided he could kill two birds with one stone — he could solve
his money issues plus get back at the FBI by working as a Soviet spy. For that treason
he received $224,000 from the Soviets and eventually – after being caught and
convicted – a 27 year prison sentence. At his sentencing the judge asked him point
blank why he had become a traitor. He replied, “I gave in to unreasonable anger.”
The problem is, we seldom become angry for the right reasons. Human anger is
usually self-motivated rather than God-motivated. Human anger is mainly an offensive
weapon we use to defend our pride. Ouch!! Aristotle once said this: “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!”
The Bible tells us that we can actually be angry and not sin. God designed anger to
be a kind of flashing yellow light — “proceed with caution, trouble is around the
corner.” So when that caution light comes on, pay attention!
I’ve heard of angry couples who give each other the silent treatment – for days! The
Bible says don’t let the sun go down on your anger, while Phyllis Diller advised “Never
go to bed mad. Stay up and fight.” Either way – resolve the anger! Mark Twain pointed
out that “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored
than to anything on which it is poured.”
Be angry and sin not. The command isn’t “Don’t get angry.” It’s, “Don’t sin in your
anger.” The point is that it’s possible to be angry and not sin. God created this
emotion for good reason and with some good intentions. When Jesus saw the
corruption of the religious leaders in the temple, He became angry. Florence
Nightingale was known for her anger – anger against inadequate hospital care.
Anger handled properly can make a Christ-follower more effective in living the
Christian life. Anger is a form of energy – you can’t destroy it – you have to channel it.
American author Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) once quipped: “Speak when you are
angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” Bad channeling!
Anger is a lot like a fire. If the fire is controlled, it an be helpful and extremely
productive, but if the fire gets out of control it can be harmful and deadly!
Alexander the Great was one of the few men in history who seemed to deserve his
descriptive title. He was energetic and intelligent. Although hatred was not generally
part of his nature, several times in his life he was tragically defeated by anger. The
story is told of one of these occasions, when a dear friend of Alexander’s – a general
in his army – became intoxicated and began to ridicule Alexander in front of his men.
Blinded by anger and quick as lightening, Alexander snatched a spear from the
hand of a soldier and hurled it at his friend. Although he only meant to scare the
drunken general, his aim was perfect and the spear took the life of his childhood
friend.
Deep remorse followed his anger, and overcome with guilt, Alexander attempted to
take his own life with the same spear but was stopped by his men. For days, he lay
sick, calling for his friend and chiding himself as a murderer.
Alexander the Great conquered many cities and countries, but he failed miserably to
control his own anger. Winston Churchill rightly noted: “A man is about as big as the
things that make him angry.” And Proverbs 19 tells us, “Prudence makes one slow to
anger and his glory is to overlook an offense.” And that’s the gospel truth!
Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street
in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org