Do we hurt others or bring justice?

At one time or another all of us will have experienced anger. It might be to differing levels...it might have happened various amounts of times...we might have done different things when we were angry...there might have been varying consequences to our anger, but one thing is for sure, we all will have experienced it at some point.

Anger is a response in us towards a person or circumstance...it is usually linked with injustice and abuse, whether real or perceived.

I've experienced a lot of anger in my life, both within myself towards others and also from others towards myself. In my anger I have said a lot of rash, hurtful, exaggerated things...I've slammed doors and thrown things. What have you done?

I've experienced being shouted at, being abused verbally, being threatened and seeing the eyes of another person change with anger towards me.

Expressed anger without self control, love, patience, gentleness and peace damages ourselves and others. What takes a moment to express can take years to heal.

A wise man once said that the 'power of life and death' was on the tongue! Haven't you found that to be true? Are there words that still go around in your head that hurt you, even though they were spoken days, months or even years ago? Haven't you been encouraged and strengthened...given hope through other words spoken? Words from others can shape how we see and feel about ourselves. That old saying 'sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me' just isn't true.

The most dangerous thing about anger is that it can become a habit beyond our own control. This can lead to worse and worse expressions.

In the Bible there are a lot of wise sayings that can actually help us, for instance it says 'in your anger do not sin'. Sin is simply missing the mark of Jesus. Who was Jesus? He was someone who had full self control, patience, gentleness, love and peace...nothing ever took that from Him. Can we say the same of ourselves when we get angry?

If you examine what makes you angry, is it justified in the light of love? Many times it isn't, it's our own selfishness or pride. Sometimes it is. In those times can you control yourself enough that you can bring through justice without causing more damage?

No-one is perfect except One and that's Jesus. We may all fall short in many ways, but there are far less worthy goals in life than to follow after Him, to have Him as our ultimate example of what being human is and to seek Him for help when we see we fall short.