SHADES OF ANGER

 

SHADES OF ANGER

Be angry, and sin not: … Jesus, perfect example of liberty, exercised righteous anger at the unrighteous anger of others reacting to His compassion; they angry to the point of plotting His murder. (Eph.4:26-27; Mk.3:1-6)

 

  No one can make us angry. Learning this truth drastically changed my life for the better. (And the lives of others as they accepted this truth.) As with any other emotion, it’s a matter of choice, granting oneself permission. Some go beyond permitting, embracing anger for a variety of beliefs: it’s enjoyable; they feel most alive when in ire, it gives them power they otherwise don’t have, to intimidate and manipulate, it’s the only way to really accomplish goals and manage people – including family, friends, employees, status and personal esteem, and for other or olio of beliefs. Admittedly, familial and/or cultural belief may be involved. Some grow up in blessed peace but decide for anger as their style or lazy knee-jerk reaction or in unforgiveness of traumatic life events.

  When in wrath we then have before us further options.

·         Relief through loving forgiveness.

·         Harness emotions unto constructiveness.

·         Seize opportunity therein to examine self and situation.

·         Hold our breath until we die.

·         Don’t ever again let others slide on our cellar door!

·         Go out to the garden and eat worms.

·         Passive-aggressive JFK “Don’t get mad, get even.”

·         Pouting silent treatment. Glare. Isolation from person/people.

·         Sleep in guest bedroom, garage or vehicle.

·         Eat elsewhere other than with “Them!”

·         Wear an armored girdle to bed for months, even years, or “Til’ death do us part.”

·         Rant and rave.

·         Entertain thoughts of destructive schemes against person(s) or property.

·         Strategically work gossip, malice, setups.

·         Destroy property. Yours. Theirs. Public. Private. (Some resentful Baltimore Works non-transferring employees un-synched machinery gear sets so that when started in Omaha equipment destructed. Some resentful Omaha Works employees punctured tires and broke windshields of transferee’s vehicles on company parking lot.)

·         Harm your body. (Cutters, burners, et al.)

·         Heavily bleach your husband’s undershorts.

·         Vent in operating vehicle or equipment.

·         Entertain schemes of bodily harm to “offender” “perpetrator”.

·         Actually put together plan, equipment, and/or recruit like-minded team to harm.

·         Leave off imagining, act out destruction, commit mayhem and murder against individual or population. If there’s collateral damage, so be it!

·         Other options I haven’t remembered this morning.

  Which of the above have we opted for? Or still choose?

  Which of the above are we capable of? James letter to Christians answers this question thoroughly, especially when we contemplate chapter 4. Please do so as it may do much to aid us in life’s decision making today and the weeks ahead.

EBB4