“Be angry, and do not sin” Ephesians 4:26 NKJV
No… I wasn’t in a hurry, had no urgent place to be and really didn’t NEED to take the short cut. But I did. So did the guy in front of me…driving a truck…pulling a trailer. I came up behind him as we approached a 4-way stop. He sat there! And sat there……and sat there! He only moved when I tried to go around him. That’s when I saw him in his own mirror… texting!
Naturally I was furious! Anger is in my nature because it’s in ALL of us! “Be considerate of others” was hammered into me all my life. It’s even a BIBLE verse (Phil 2:4)! Growing up it was taught to EVERYONE! But as we all know by now, that is NOT the lesson for the 21st century! For the selfishly entitled… being considerate is not even in the sub notes! And that angers me!
I ran into a friend who enthusiastically recommended a book on what is wrong in this country. Saying he couldn’t put it down, something inside of me screamed, “don’t pick it up!” And I knew why! In the words of Clint Eastwood as ‘Dirty Harry,’ “A man’s GOT to know his limitations!” I KNEW the book would just make me MORE angry. So I’ll avoid it like the news!
The Bible NEVER says to NOT be angry! In fact, there are several versions of the Bible that get their translation wrong by trying to MAKE the verse SAY what it doesn’t. There is EVIL in the world. God tells us to ‘HATE EVIL’ over 35 times in the Bible. When evil jumps…anger SHOULD be natural. BUT… anger comes with conditions! Sin is not one of them!
I KNOW my limitations and I hate them in me. I get angry at myself when I don’t have patience, forgiveness or compassion. But I also HATE STUPID! When stupid raises it’s head, I lose mine. And I know why! It’s because, like a hard shelled independent clam… ‘I’ am SHELLFISH!
I‘ve been to AA and Al-anon meetings to check them out for ministry purposes. No…I am NOT an alcoholic! But I AM an ICK! And because I HATE being an ICK… Jesus is encouraging me to work on today’s Bible verse. And it’s HARD! I literally have to find ways to train myself to NOT lose my head when I see selfishness in others, or when I see stupid in action! Katie is helping me!
As a Believer and front line soldier in God’s Army, I am called to a higher standard. Training and RE-certification by my Lord is ALWAYS ongoing, and as much as I’d like it to just come naturally as a gift from Him, He doesn’t work that way! So I set here at my computer texting God for answers…all the while the world is bleeping me from behind! I think I’ll be here a while!
What makes YOU angry and what are YOU doing about it?
