Anger is an emotion that can quickly escalate into something very ugly. When left unrestrained, anger can become rage leaving many hurts in its wake. Anger is also dangerous when it’s bottled up inside. It can be devastating when it finally lets loose. I suppose that’s why Jesus is warning us against it. While murder is clearly sinful, Jesus knows that anger is oftentimes the root reason leading to murder. He didn’t want us to think that it was just the killing part that was wrong.
We are bound to feel anger from time to time. Disappointment that something doesn’t go our way, or frustration when another’s mistake has caused us some discomfort. It is how we handle our anger that matters. That takes a lot of control. We need to recognize the signs leading up to this strong emotion and make sure we are redirecting our frustration in a healthy way.
When we can learn to approach situations without emotion, leaving the anger off to the side, we will be amazed at how quickly the circumstance resolves in a healthy, non-violent manner. But it takes work.
Jesus is even calling us out on bullying and name-calling. It’s sinful. Of course, we probably could figure that out easily enough, but sadly those types of behavior were obviously a part of the culture of Jesus’ day, too. We haven’t come so very far in ridding ourselves of those kinds of sins. It seems that bullying is at an all-time high (or at least with all the media coverage it appears that way).
The part of this text that is a little harder to grasp is the offering or sacrifice part. I’m not sure I’ve ever witnessed someone withholding their offering at church only to run out and go find the person they were at odds with. I’ve always understood this to mean that our hearts need to be pure and cleansed from hard feelings so that we can come with our full attention and devotion when we approach God with our gifts. If our hearts and heads are crowded with ill will toward others, we cannot be fully present with God.
The final picture here is of heading to court. As a paralegal for many years, I have seen my share of courtrooms and listened for hours and hours to grueling testimony and bouts of “he said, she said.” Certainly, people have missed the “quickly” part of this reading. How much better it would be for all parties if they had settled their matters quickly and without so much drama.
What spoke to you most in this passage? Do you struggle with anger issues or know someone who does? We probably all do. My first husband was a very angry and bitter man. There was nothing I could do change him. God was going to have to do that. But I know firsthand the fear of living with someone with a short fuse. You never know when an outburst could ruin the day. What do you do then? Pray hard.
The bottom line of Jesus’ message comes back to the basics. Love your neighbor as yourself.
Let’s pray. Lord, forgive me for my frustration with others. At times, I am crippled by it. Thank you that you help me to release that tension and refocus my thoughts. Thank you for how you delivered me from the fear I lived with daily. May my life and example help others who are feeling stuck and afraid. Forgiveness for past hurts is key to a healthy future. Thank you that you have walked with me through that process. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
