Exodus 32:19 AMPC
And as soon as he came near to the camp he saw the calf and the dancing. And Moses' anger blazed hot and he cast the tables out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.
We see lots of demonstrations of anger in the world today.
Out of control anger can do much damage. We've seen it in the BLM riots all over the globe. So much so that people are afraid to go on the streets where these protests are taking place.
It is not wrong to be angry, especially about injustice and corruption. Under control anger can trigger action to right a wrong.
But anger can become like a stampeding herd of buffalo, trampling all in its way.
We see Moses was a man prone to anger, in fact, it may have been that which stopped him entering the Promised Land in the end.
The Bible has much to say about anger.
Proverbs 29:11 AMPC
A [self-confident] fool utters all his anger, but a wise man holds it back and stills it.
Jesus Himself was angry when the religious rules stood in the way of healing:
Mark 3:5 AMPC
And He glanced around at them with vexation and anger, grieved at the hardening of their hearts, and said to the man, Hold out your hand. He held it out, and his hand was [completely] restored.
He was angry enough at the temple corruption to turn over the tables of the money changers and drive them out with a whip - no gentle Jesus meek and mild there.
Matthew 21:12-13
So, what should our attitude be when our anger arises? How should we behave? Suppressed anger can make us ill.
And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry.. Ephesians 4:26 TLB
With God's help, we can control anger much like breaking in an untamed stallion, but don't stay in the saddle too long! Express it and get over it.
Uncontrolled anger gives a foothold to the devil (verse 27) and we know how damaging that can be.
The evil one will use every opportunity to divide society and put people at odds with each other.
Father God please help us to channel our anger in the right places, but give us hearts that are quick to forgive, in Jesus' name.
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