Anger - Good or Bad? YES

Have you ever gotten angry over something ridiculous?


I distinctly remember becoming furious with the wind one day last summer. Yes, the wind. As I began the long ride up the hill on my mountain bike, the wind decided he (or she) was going to push against me as hard as he possibly could just to tick me off...or so that's what it felt like as I struggled to pedal up that neverending hill while my quads nearly burned out of my skin. I remember wanting to curse at the wind, and quite honestly, I may have once or twice when he pushed even harder against me. I'm not sure adrenaline is supposed to reach the level it did in my body that day, but I'll probably never forget the anger I felt toward that malicious wind.

Ok...so getting angry at the wind is pretty silly. I know this. What other things, though, have I gotten angry over AND are they worthy of the anger?

This was the challenge presented to me at my Monday night gathering this past week.

So...

What have I been angry (or frustrated) about that is NOT worthy of getting angry about?

Slow drivers
Required meetings
Misplaced or lost items
Cancelled events
Tall people standing in front of me


What have I been angry about that IS worthy of getting angry about?

Sex trafficking
Child abuse
Starvation
Misuse of power

Maybe I can just make one category for these - selfishness at the expense of others.

Some would call this kind of anger, the kind that IS worthy,"righteous anger" because the anger is in response to sin. If we see sin the way God sees it, we will become angry too. The point for us is not to condemn or judge those in the midst of sinful behavior. This kind of anger should never cause us to sin, but it should push us to find a way to help encourage righteous behavior. It should cause us to want to do something to help the situation.

"In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry." (Ephesians 4:26).

Humans in Guatemala are starving. Humans in Africa are starving. Humans in many places in our world are starving. I find myself with righteous anger when I think about this situation. I don't know all the reasons why humans are starving to death, but I do know that part of the cause of this hunger is due to sin...the selfish behavior of humans. I know there is enough food for everyone in the world, yet people are still dying of hunger.

God does not call me to deal with this anger by judging those who are not thinking about the poor. God does not call me to condemn those who are stealing food that's being sent to provide for those in need.

The way that I deal with this anger is to donate money to feed the poor. I bought several buckets of food for the Treasures living the garbage dump of Guatemala City. The staff of Potter's House, an organization that reaches out the Treasures, will deliver the food to the families most in need. My hope is that others will recognize one of the righteous ways to deal with this situation, and join me in feeding the poor. My hope is that the Treasures will find God through His provision for them.


So when I cursed at the wind last summer...right response? NO

"Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (James 1:19-20, ESV).