Matthew 5:21-26 NIV
You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca*,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
I'm a Star Wars fan. The Jedi Master Yoda once said to a very young Anakin Skywalker, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
In Jesus' teaching on anger he connects the feeling to the act of murder. I've often thought of His teaching in this way: "If you are angry with someone, you have committed murder in your heart."
My difficulty with this teaching is that anger is natural feeling given to us for our own good. Anger, in and of itself, is not sinful or evil. Anger has its healthy purpose, but it also has a dark side.
Feelings are like sensor readings on a car dashboard. They tell us what's going on inside the system. If the oil temperature readout on your car dashboard goes into the high zone, you know you've got a problem that needs attention. In the same way feelings are pointing to something you need. Give feelings your attention so that you can satisfy your needs.
When you feel happy, your needs are being met. When sad, you have lost something or someone. You need restoration, either the returning of what was lost or the restoration of yourself through a grieving process. If you are afraid, you think you are threatened somehow. What you need its security, to feel safe again. When angry, you need justice for some wrong committed.
Life is unfair, wouldn't you agree? We're going to feel anger, but what are we going to do with that anger? The bible has some direction on the topic.
Psalm 4:4 HCSB
Be angry and do not sin; on your bed, reflect in your heart and be still.
Ephesians 4:26-27 HCSB
Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the Devil an opportunity.
James 1:19-20 NIV
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
Proverbs 29:22 NIV
An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.
As you can see anger comes with warnings in the Bible. It's a hot potatoe kind of feeling that needs to be dropped quickly.
I appreciate that the Bible acknowledges that anger is a part of being human. Jesus Himself felt anger. He would get angry with His disciples at times when they were so slow to learn about mercy.
Mark 10:13-14 NIV
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."
And of course we all know Jesus drove the moneychangers from the temple. He overturned their tables! That seems almost violent, but the Bible commends this action as an appropriate zeal for God's house.
There's no question that anger is a part of being human. God made us this way. And it serves a good purpose, the pursuit of justice, to right what is wrong, to make fair again what has become unfair. But how we respond to this feeling is everything. We can feel angry about injustice, but when we personalize the anger toward someone and begin hating them, we are moving down a path toward violence.
Perhaps the better way to talk about this is a grudge, meaning to willfully hold onto anger. Resentment is a bitter poison to your soul. Unchecked anger will lead you to foolish and even harmful behavior. Anger that festers inside can lead to depression and even physical illness. There are studies that reveal a connection to heart and lung disease from chronic anger. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2104758/) So it is best, for your own sake, to follow the sage advice the Bible gives. Love your enemies. (Mat 5:44) Do not hold a grudge, but love your neighbors as yourself. (Lev 19:18)
Jesus says to be quick to reconcile with your adversary. Not only is this good for you, it's what people who love do. They have concern for all, including their adversaries. They want good for them, because they are God's beloved children. Each person has divine potential, for all humans are made in God's image. Honor their sacred worth and love them as you would love yourself. Treat them as you wish to be treated.
If you curse someone under your breath, if you villainize them in your heart, you are in danger of God's righteous judgment. Jesus warns that contempt for another puts you in danger of the fire of Hell, or Gehenna. Gehenna was the trash dump outside the walls of Jerusalem in the Hinnom Valley. There anaerobic bacteria digested the organic decaying matter producing pockets of methane gas. The gas ignited and burned with fire and smoke. Flies lay their eggs and maggots devour the organic matter. This is the picture of hell. It is a place where the fire is not quenched and the worm never dies. It is a place outside of the holy city where God dwells with his people. It is a place of death and devouring.
Festering resentment is a Hell of its own. Free yourself by calling upon the Saviour for grace to forgive, heal, and love. For if you expect God to forgive you, you must forgive others from your heart. (Mat 6:14-15; 18:34-35)
Footnote:
*Strong's Definitions: ῥακά rhaká, rhak-ah'; of Chaldee origin (compare H7386); O empty one, i.e. thou worthless (as a term of utter vilification):—Raca.
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