ANGER AND POLITICS

ANGER AND POLITICS!

Eph 4:26

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Col 3:8

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

           Anger, like love, is part of our original emotional makeup. God made us with the capacity to respond and correspond with one another. Anger is, according to Easton's Bible Dictionary, “the emotion of instant displeasure on account of something evil that presents itself to our view.” That is why Paul said to be angry but sin not. It is not the emotion but the way it is applied that might be sin. Anger under the control of the our spirit and the Holy Spirit is what is required.

           So, what does anger have to do with politics? During this election cycle it seems to be the driving force. The main causes of the French Revolution were the French people's frustration with the king in his inability to deal with declining living conditions, namely the country's debt and declining financial situation, food shortages, and certain religious intolerances. Anger ruled and people lost their heads – literally. The same kind of anger exists in America today with, I fear, similar chaos.

Phil 4:5

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

           The word “moderation” in the above verse is the Greek word epieikes which means “appropriate; mild; gentle; patient.” I like to think of it as “sweet reasonableness.” Paul gives the Philippians a prime reason for being reasonable. The Lord is at hand! He’s coming soon.

Dear Lord, there is so much cause for anger these days. Let my anger have a godly and spiritual dimension. Let me be reasonable while being resolute. AMEN