Alright now that you have clicked here because of the provocative title, let’s have a heart to heart.
First – this is primarily directed at those that follow Jesus. Those that don’t, I don’t expect you to live by or into Christian standards because that is not the way things work.
So what do cussing, ranting and Covid 19 have in common as it relates to those that follow Jesus (aka Christians)?
One word: Anger.
Anger is at the root of our name calling, grudge holding, partisan-craziness, ranting, cussing and the like.
I see a lot of habitually angry Christians out there. I see and hear it in conversations I have with folks. I see it on social media. I see it on the news. I see it in me.
Let’s break it down:
Is anger a bad thing – Jesus got angry, right?
Yes, he did. And things that are evil and wrong, should cause us to be angry.
AND – listen to listen to Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:26 for a bit more on this topic:
26 Be angry without sinning. Don’t let the sun set on your anger. 27 Don’t provide an opportunity for the devil. (Ephesians 4:26,27 CEB)
Be angry without sinning. What? How? Tell me more Paul.
Paul goes on to say: don’t let the sun go down on your anger.
Don’t let your anger fester. If you hold onto as you go to sleep it will be there when you wake. And when you go to sleep the next night and when you wake the next day. And before you know it, you are living in your anger. Or better said: Your anger is consuming you from the inside out. It is driving your emotions, thus your relationships and so on and so forth.
So how do I get angry and not sin?
So anger that is short lived – it does not go on for more than a day seems to be okay.
Anger that is properly dealt with is okay – again because it does not last overnight. So you call the person that has wronged you. You make right that which is wrong. You take responsibility to deal with that is happening in you so that anger does not fester. That is our responsibility.
And why not let anger sit over night?
Because it gives the devil an opportunity to thrive. It gives the devil a foothold. The devil is given an invitation to the play ground of your mind.
And when the devil is given an inch, we do and say all types of sideways and silly things that cause others harm – and this is sin. I have seen hate, heartache, hypocrisy of the highest degree online from Christians – this is sin.
And I believe the root of most of this is unresolved anger that has festered. (Insert meme of guy sitting at table saying – prove me wrong).
I have no place to speak to the some things in this world (I am not a doctor, scientist, or an elected official) – but there are some things – the above things, that I must speak to.
I ask you to stop and take stock of your heart. Start with this question: Have I been going to bed with unresolved anger? If so, pray, deal with it, face it and let it go. Call the person, talk to them. Anger leads to sin and that sin will truly eat you up from the inside out.
If there is anything I can do to help you process and take next steps, don’t hesitate to reach out. I will more than glad to help you.
He or she that has ears to hear, let him or her hear…
Grace and Peace,
kp
Comments