Deal With Anger Biblically

“You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.  You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
Leviticus 19:17-18 ESV

This verse shows that it is very appropriate for us to tactfully reprove a neighbor or friend who offends us. But we must never hold any grudges or seek vengeance.  Vengeance is God's business-not ours! The unconscious motive for holding a grudge for any past offense is always vengeance, the subtle desire to "get even" with the person who angered us.

Holding grudges and a vengeful attitude are the primary root causes of depression, and both are sinful. Much anxiety comes our way when we repress our anger and are afraid to take a good look at our vengeful subconscious motives.

If we would only realize that getting angry is normal and that reproving the person who offended us (before bed-time, according to Ephesians 4:26) is a godly thing to do (and even commanded), it would be much easier for us to forgive people who upset us.  At the same time we might even help them change their offensive behavior.  




THE BRICK

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.  

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money.  Why did you do it?'  

The young boy was apologetic. 'Please, mister…please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded.  'I threw the brick because no one else would stop…' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car.  'It's my brother,' he said ' He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.' 

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.' 

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger.  

Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. 

He kept the dent there to remind him of the message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not. 

The Four Candles

Four candles
slowly burned.

The ambiance was so
soft, one could almost
hear them talking …..


The first candle
said:

"I am PEACE!"

"The world is full of anger
and fighting. Nobody can
keep me lit."

Then the flame of Peace
went out completely.

The second candle
said:

"I am FAITH!"

"I am no longer indispensable. It doesn't
make sense that I stay lit
another moment."

Just then a breeze softly
blew Faith's flame.

Sadly the third candle
began to speak:

"I am LOVE!"

"People don't understand
my importance so they
simply put me aside. They
even forget to love those
who are nearest to them."

And waiting no longer Love's
flame went out.

Suddenly …

a child entered
the room and saw
the three unlit
candles.

"Why aren't you
burning? You're
supposed to stay
lit till the end."

Saying this, the child began to cry.

Then the
fourth
candle
answered:

"Don't be
afraid.

I am HOPE!"

"While I am still burning
we can re-light the other
candles."

With shining
eyes the child
took the
candle of hope
and lit the
other candles.


The Greatest Of These
Is LOVE …

… but the flame of Hope should never
go out of your life!

With hope each of us
can live with Peace,
Faith and Love. 

PRAYER:

"Dear God, You are my light
and my salvation. You are my
hope. Please come into my
heart, forgive all my wrongs
and give me Your wonderful
gift of eternal Life. Help me be
an instrument of Your love and
cause Your light to shine on
others through me.  Amen"