SO THE SCRIPTURE IS TAKING US AS WE ARE -- IT'S ACKNOWLEDGING REALITY -- IT'S SAYING, IN BOLD LETTERS:
DON'T TRY TO DENY THIS EMOTION.
YOU WERE BORN WITH THE CAPACITY FOR ANGER.
IT IS THERE FOR A REASON.
GOD DID NOT MAKE A MISTAKE WHEN HE MADE YOU.
THIS IS THE WAY YOU ARE.
BUT BE CAREFUL: WHEN YOU ARE ANGRY, SLOW DOWN AND PAY CLOSE ATTENTION.
LISTEN. LISTEN TO YOURSELF. LISTEN TO THE VERSE: BE ANGRY, BUT DO NOT SIN.
YOU MAY SEE A GREEN LIGHT, YOU MAY SEE A RED LIGHT, BUT THE COLOR YOU NEED TO SEE IS YELLOW.
THE ONE IN BETWEEN THE OTHER TWO.
THE COLOR FOR CAUTION!

YELLOW IS A GOOD COLOR; CAUTION IS A GOOD THING.
IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT ANGER IS ALWAYS WRONG, THAT IT IS EVIL, THAT WE'RE EVIL.
THAT CHRISTIANS SHOULD RUN AWAY FROM IT, THAT WE WILL BE UNACCEPTABLE IF WE RECOGNIZE ANGER WITHIN OURSELVES.
BETTER TO RECOGNIZE IT THAN TO IGNORE IT.
ANGER WILL FIND A WAY TO SHOW ITSELF ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, SOMETIMES AS A A MIXED MESSAGE.

LIKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE CHURCH BULLETIN:
AA NEW LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEM HAS BEEN INSTALLED IN THE CHURCH. IT WAS GIVEN BY ONE OF OUR MEMBERS IN HONOR OF HIS WIFE.@

OBVIOUSLY AN ANONYMOUS GIFT.

WE CAN BE DOUBLE-MINDED ABOUT ANGER!
ON THE ONE HAND WE SUSPECT IT, WE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH IT; WE'RE CONFUSED AND TROUBLED BY IT.
IT FEELS DANGEROUS, UNSAFE -- THE ADULT EQUIVALENT OF PLAYING WITH MATCHES.
AT THE SAME TIME WE HANG ON TO OUR ANGER.
IF WE HIDE IT WE KNOW RIGHT WHERE TO GO TO FIND IT.
IT'S AS THOUGH OUR RESENTMENTS HAVE THEIR OWN ROOMS.

AND WE WANT TO KEEP THESE ROOMS AS THEY ARE, BECAUSE AT SOME LEVEL OUR ANGER IS IMPORTANT TO US, IT HAS MEANING.
IT IS OURS.
WE DO NOT WANT TO LET GO OF IT.
SOMEONE HAS SAID WE LIKE TO AREVEL IN OUR RAGE.@
ANGER MAKES US FEEL POWERFUL. ANGER EXHILARATES US.
IT MAKES US FEEL ALIVE.
WE FEEL ENTITLED TO IT, AND SOMETIMES WE NEED TO "LET IT OUT."
CAN'T KEEP IT IN ANY LONGER! WE SAY.
AFTER ALL, AS POET EMILY DICKINSON SAID,
ANGER AS SOON AS FED IS DEAD -- 'TIS STARVING MAKES IT FAT.

SOMETIMES IT'S THE DAILY FRUSTRATIONS THAT MOUNT UP -- THE LITTLE THINGS BECOME THE STRAW THAT BREAKS THE CAMEL'S BACK -- AND WE FINALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WE NEED TO VENT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
THE SALES PERSON WHO CALLS JUST AS WE ARE ABOUT TO SIT DOWN TO DINNER.
I CAN SUSPEND ANY CHRISTIAN GRACE I MAY HAVE SHOULD ONE OF THOSE CALLS COME TO OUR HOUSE.
NO MATTER, AS KATI TELLS ME, THAT THEY ARE JUST PEOPLE TRYING TO EARN A LIVING, TO ME THEY ARE A TARGET FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG WITH SOCIETY.
ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS HESITATE WITH MY NAME, AND THEN MISPRONOUNCE IT, WHICH THEY ALWAYS DO: HELLO, IS THIS MR. BUEBLER?  MR. BOOLER?
MR. PETER BOHLER? -- I HEAR THAT AND LOOK OUT BELOW! NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!

YET IF THE DAY HAS BEEN CALM AND I AM FEELING RELAXED AND PEACEFUL COME DINNER TIME, I JUST SAY NO THANKS WHEN THE TELEMARKETERS CALL.
WHY IS THAT?!
AM I DR. JEKYLL OR MR. HYDE?

ANGER CAN BE DECEIVING; WE CAN BE EASILY DECEIVED.
WHEN WE ARE ANGRY IT'S BECAUSE OF SOMEONE ELSE.
IT'S BECAUSE OF SOMETHING ELSE.
NOT SOMETHING IN US.
WE CAN SPOT IT IN A MINUTE WHEN OUR FRIEND IS ANGRY, OR A CO-WORKER, WHEN IT IS HAPPENING TO OUR CHILD, OR TO OUR SPOUSE.
HONEY, YOU ARE JUST TIRED. YOU ARE STRESSED.
IT'S THAT MEETING YOU HAD, IT'S THAT REPORT THAT'S DUE,
IT'S THAT DOCTOR=S APPOINTMENT YOU'RE DREADING,
IT'S THAT COMMENT YOU OVERHEARD THAT YOU'VE BEEN OBSESSING ABOUT.
WE ARE SO INSIGHTFUL ABOUT OTHERS' ANGER, CORRECT IN PINPOINTING THE CAUSES.
ARE WE AS ASTUTE WITH OUR OWN?

HOW OFTEN WHEN THE TABLES TURN WE SEE ONLY RED!
HOW TEMPTING TO EXAGGERATE THE OFFENSES OF THE PERSON WHO HURT US!
WE ARE THE VICTIM!
WE ARE INNOCENT!
WE HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTOOD!
SUCH BETRAYAL!

HOW INVESTED WE BECOME IN OUR INNOCENCE, AND THEREFORE IN OUR ANGER.
YET IT MAY BE OUR INVESTMENT IN ANGER THAT IS THE PROBLEM.
IF WE SEE RED, THE APOSTLE PAUL SEES YELLOW -- CAUTION.
BE ANGRY BUT DO NOT SIN; DO NOT LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR ANGER, AND DO NOT MAKE ROOM FOR THE DEVIL.

IN OTHER WORDS, THINK ABOUT IT, PRAY ABOUT IT, DON'T BE CONTROLLED BY IT.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP, DEAL WITH IT, HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT, GAIN SOME PERSPECTIVE.

ROBERT ROBERTS, A PROFESSOR AT WHEATON COLLEGE, REMINDS US HOW IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVE IS ON OUR INTERIOR LIVES.

TO REMEMBER HOW CLOSELY RELATED ARE LOVE AND ANGER.
ROBERTS ILLUSTRATES THE POINT WITH THE FAMILIAR DRAWING OF TWO WOMEN -- YOU CAN ONLY SEE ONE AT A TIME.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE DRAWING ONE WAY, YOU SEE AN OLD CRONE WITH A LARGE NOSE AND PURSED LIPS.
IF YOU LOOK AT IT ANOTHER WAY, YOU SEE A BEAUTIFUL MAIDEN WITH A LITTLE TURNED-UP NOSE LOOKING COYLY AWAY.
YOU CANNOT SEE BOTH WOMEN AT THE SAME TIME!
WHEN YOU ARE SEEING THE CRONE, THE MAIDEN IS INVISIBLE, AND WHEN YOU ARE SEEING THE MAIDEN, THE CRONE IS INVISIBLE.

THE CHALLENGE IS TO UNDERSTAND, TO SEE OUR PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE.
TO NOT GIVE IN TO THE TEMPTATION TO DEMONIZE THOSE WHO HURT US, THE PEOPLE WE ARE ANGRY WITH --
TO RECOGNIZE, EVEN IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT, HOW THAT OTHER PERSON IS HUMAN, LIKE US, AND NOT UGLY.

BE ANGRY BUT DO NOT SIN; DO NOT LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR ANGER, AND DO NOT MAKE ROOM FOR THE DEVIL.

THE TEMPTATION IS THAT IN PULLING OTHERS DOWN, WE THINK, WE LIFT OURSELVES UP.
WE CLAIM THE JUDGE=S SEAT AS OUR OWN;
WE ASSUME THE MORAL RIGHT TO JUDGE OTHERS BECAUSE THEY ARE BLIND AND WE ARE NOT: WE SEE THEIR DEFECTS AND DEFICIENCIES, THEY DO NOT.

WHICH IS THE PROBLEM.
IT IS NOT THAT THE EMOTION OF ANGER IS WRONG.
PAUL ACCEPTS IT, EVEN HONORS IT: BE ANGRY,HE SAYS, BUT SIN NOT.
DON=T LET YOUR ANGER CAUSE YOU TO FORGET YOUR HUMANITY.

DON=T FORGET THAT CHRIST LOVES HIM TOO, HER TOO.
IF HE LOVES YOU AND FORGIVES YOU, SHOULD YOU NOT ALSO FORGIVE?

WE KNOW HOW HARD THAT IS.
MAYBE WE HAVE HAD THE SAME CONVERSATION AS THE HUSBAND AND WIFE.
WHY DO YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT MY PAST MISTAKES? SAID THE HUSBAND. I THOUGHT YOU HAD FORGIVEN AND FORGOTTEN.
I HAVE, INDEED, FORGIVEN AND FORGOTTEN, SAID THE WIFE.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU DON=T FORGET THAT I HAVE FORGIVEN AND FORGOTTEN.

IT IS HARD TO LET GO COMPLETELY.
MAYBE THAT IS WHAT THAT SAYING IS ABOUT.
BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FORGET.
IF WE HAVE BEEN WRONGED, IF WE HAVE EXPERIENCED AN INJUSTICE, WE DON'T FORGET IT.
NOR SHOULD WE.

AND IF EXPERIENCING INJUSTICE OURSELVES HELPS US TO KNOW WHAT OTHERS ARE GOING THROUGH,
IF IT OPENS OUR EYES TO HOW VULNERABLE PEOPLE CAN BE -- HOW VULNERABLE WE ALL ARE,
IF IT MAKES US MORE COMPASSIONATE,
IF IT BROADENS OUR VIEW OF THE WORLD,
IF OUR EXPERIENCE MAKES US WISER AND BOLDER, MORE DETERMINED TO CHALLENGE EVIL -- DISCRIMINATION, GREED, PREJUDICE, IGNORANCE, APATHY -- THEN MAYBE OUR ANGER CAN GIVE US THE ENERGY AND FOCUS WE NEED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

GARRET KEIZER IS A FAVORITE AUTHOR OF MINE; HE WRITES AS A PERSON OF FAITH ABOUT DIFFICULT SUBJECTS, ALWAYS MAKING ROOM FOR AMBIGUITY AND COMPLEXITY.
IN HIS BOOK THE ENIGMA OF ANGER HE DEFINES THE EMOTION IN A HELPFUL WAY:
"I DEFINE ANGER AS AN EMOTION OF EXTREME FRUSTRATION POISED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF ACTION."
I LIKE THE WORD "POISED."
BECAUSE IN ANGER THERE'S ALWAYS THAT MOMENT OF DECISION.
WHO AMONG US HASN'T BEEN MOVED TO DO SOMETHING GOOD BECAUSE WE GOT ANGRY ENOUGH TO DO IT!
I LOVE THE LAST SENTENCE OF GARRET KEIZER'S ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
HE THANKS HIS CONGREGATION, HIS EDITOR, HIS PUBLISHER, HIS AGENT, HIS FRIEND, HIS WIFE.
THEN HE WRITES "AND FINALLY, (I WISH TO THANK) EVERY PERSON ALIVE OR DEAD WHO MADE ME ANGRY ENOUGH TO WRITE THIS BOOK."