The Right Kind of Anger

He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” Mark 3:5

I got mad at work recently. I was justified though. Someone mixed up two charts, creating a lot more work for me. In my frustration, I harshly let the culprit know how unhappy I was. Then, a few seconds later, I discovered that it was me who had caused the mix-up. Even if I’d been right, I’d have later regretted my harsh tone, but the realization that I was to blame made it ten times worse.

This is how it goes with my anger. When I get mad, it’s usually because I think something, or someone has thwarted my will. Someone drives slowly in the passing lane or my lawnmower won’t start. In my frustration, my behavior is controlled by my impulsive emotions. Anger is an intoxicant which causes me to say and do things I wouldn’t normally do. My response is never helpful, but rather is always destructive and hurtful. Anger makes me act like a child.

Contrast this to Jesus’ anger. In today’s passage, the Pharisees hoped to catch Christ in the act of healing a man with a lame hand on the Sabbath, something they considered to be unlawful. Knowing their intent, Jesus was angry. His anger wasn’t because of any personal inconvenience. He wasn’t mad because he didn’t get his way. His anger was grief over the corruption of the Pharisees and the injustice it caused. In response, he didn’t curse anyone. He just did what was right, healing the man’s hand.

My anger is never this righteous. I’m not upset by the injustice and corruption around me. I’m only upset by anything that inconveniences me. In my anger, I don’t try to fix anything or help anyone. I just want to smash relationships and things.

If I want to live in faith, following Christ, I need to learn to interrogate my anger. Am I angry for the right reasons or am I just throwing a tantrum? Is my anger Godly or is it just coming from me? Is my response appropriate or destructive? God never asks me to sin for him. There are things that should make me angry, but it takes great maturity to handle anger rightly. If my recent experience at work is any indication, I’m not there yet.