Years ago I read The Gospel of Anger, by Alastair Campbell. It combines biblical reflection, practical theology and applied psychology. It was an eye-opener. Anger was not described as 'a bad thing'. Nor was Campbell arguing that 'righteous anger' is always right. For the first time I encountered someone who had taken time to think out an ethic of anger, and the importance of anger in human experience and relationships. Anger has the potential to create or destroy, to energise or depress, to get good things done, or to make bad things happen. This week's TFTD explores the various expressions of anger and the part it plays in our daily lives.
Monday
Matthew 5.22 “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”
It’s true enough. There is such a thing as righteous anger. But here Jesus has in mind unrighteous anger. All anger is subject to judgement, that is, examining whether our anger is justified or malicious, aiming at putting things right or intended to wound, intimidate and damage. Anger towards people who have annoyed us, hurt us, or offended us is part of being human. How we deal with it is part of what it means to follow Jesus. And on that path lie possibilities of control, forgiveness and mercy.
Tuesday
Proverbs 29.11 “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise person keeps their anger under control.”
“Wise people turn away anger”, says Proverbs 29.8. One of the ways of doing that is not to give vent to our own anger. De-escalation is one of those lazy made-up words that nevertheless describes something useful and positive. When tempers are lost, so are friendships. Keeping our anger under control is one of the first steps of peace-making. Anger isn’t wrong. Anger can give the energy and resilience to work towards putting wrong right! There is a discipleship of the affections, a training of our inner responses so that constraining and directing our emotions is part of our inward obedience to God.
Wednesday
Proverbs 15.1 “A gentle word turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
The relationship between our anger and our words is often immediate. Expletives have their uses! But words that insult, ridicule, and aim at silencing the other, are incendiary. What’s more, harsh words create resentment, bitterness, and lodge long in the memory of those hurt by them. Gentle words are not mere giving in. Gentle doesn’t mean weak. Restraint requires strength, and there is wisdom in seeking conciliation rather than confrontation. Fasting from anger makes space for peace.
Thursday
Mark 3.5 “Jesus looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.”
“Gentle Jesus meek and mild…” Aye, right! This is an important moment in any reflection on Christians and anger. Blindness to another person’s suffering, failure to see that mercy is more important than the rules of any power game, lack of compassion and simmering resentment at Jesus – and trapped in this vortex of callous disregard is a man who couldn’t work for a living. No wonder Jesus was angry! But his anger was for healing. And out of it came the question we all have to face in our angriest moments – is it lawful to do good or to do evil? Which means sometimes doing good requires us to look evil in the face, and defy it.
Friday
James 1.19 “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
The blessings of being quick and slow at the right time! Whether in the politics of Parliament, of the church, of the family, of the office and other work places, this advice holds. The new dance step in human relations, is quick, slow, slow. But James’ point is serious. When it comes to righteousness (which includes justice and doing right and good) quick anger doesn’t cut it – it just cuts people. Quick to listen, slow to speak, that way tempers have time to moderate. That too is fasting from anger.
Saturday
Luke 15.28-32 “The elder brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!”
‘“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”’
Not much comment from me. Let the text speak about anger, love and reconciliation.
Sunday
Ephesians 4.26 “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry…”
The other day I spoke with a friend who remembered her late husband for the way he lived the second part of this verse, for nearly 70 years of marriage. Anger is not wrong. There are right reasons for being angry, just as there are right ways and wrong ways of expressing our anger. But as Paul says elsewhere, “So far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Peace-making is to fast from anger.
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