Righteous Anger
"Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools." - Ecclesiastes 7:9
All of us struggle with anger; it's a part of life. Do you ever feel your anger is justified? Have you ever used the term "righteous anger?" The phrase is often used when someone has wronged us so unjustly that we say, "I have every right to be angry." And then to justify our outburst ,we'll add, "Jesus showed righteous anger, didn't He?"
Well, yes, He did. But it is important to notice what triggered His righteous anger. Once was when He entered the temple and found it had been turned into a place for taking advantage of the poor. Jesus was furious about it because God was not being respected. Jesus also got angry whenever people were taken advantage of, mistreated, or were shown contempt. And Jesus became indignant when the disciples would not allow children to visit with Him. These are all displays of righteous anger.
But understand this: Jesus only became angry when others were mistreated. Jesus never got angry when He was treated unjustly. So, how did He react when He was the target of injustice? Look at what Jesus did when He was unfairly sentenced to death, the ultimate act of personal injustice. He said, "Father, forgive them."
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4 Comments
This sure does away with our attitude of "I'll get even" doesn't it. Sometimes these devotions makes me so mad at myself. I try to use the excuse that I am human, so that excuses me for my anger, but then I read a devotion like this and it reminds me that Christ was human at this time also. I wish you would pick on someone else sometimes, and let me wallow in my excuses. Really I am glad to be put in rememberence of what is right sometimes. God bless everyone and have a good day. - Jerry
When Jesus said to turn the other cheek, he meant to turn your other cheek. However, we need to step in and defend others when it is their cheek that is being smitten. When others are being mistreated, then it can be righteous anger. When we are being mistreated, then it usually is personal anger, not righteous anger. - jag
Part of my morning prayer was that I might hsve the mind of Christ, to think about people as He thinks about them and then I opened e-mail and found this devotion that shows the Way. Thank you RFTH for this enlightening devotion and thank You, God, for RFTH. - Janice
On the other hand, God understands human anger and gave us the imprecatory Psalms for instruction and comfort. In Psalm 69 for example, the writer asks God to bring all manner of wrath to his enemies. However, in the end, vengenve must be left to God alone. Whenever I really get angry I struggle to remember this. - Grant