What Angers You?

Yesterday in Bible class the teacher made an interesting comment.  He said that anger is the opposite of love, that whatever angers you is what you love.  I was talking to my boys about that later and one of them said that it couldn't be right because he gets angry with people, but that doesn't mean he loves them.  (We then had a little lesson on how we ARE to love everyone, but he knew that, just meant he didn't LOVE, love them.).

I kept thinking about that lesson and how anger related to love and realized something.  If people anger me, then what is it about the people that anger me?  To be honest, it's usually because they aren't doing what I want them to do, or they aren't doing it how I think it should be done!  What angers me is that I'm not getting my way!

So this morning before school, I talked to the boys again and asked questions:

Question: What about people makes you angry?
Answer: When they are being a doofus!

Question: But WHAT about it is making them a doofus?  Is it because they aren't doing something the way you think it should be done?  (I mentioned that I was thinking this way because of my own issues, not theirs!)
Answer: Yeah.

Question: Why do you get angry if it's not done how you think it should be?
Answer: I'm not in control.

Question:  So where is the problem.
Answer: With me.  (I confessed that it's the same way with me!)

Then later when I was talking to my husband about it, we mentioned that selfishness was the problem.  I want it my way!  And most likely, you want it your way, too!  And my husband said what we know from God's Word, that it boils down to pride.  Pride is at the root of many sins.

So what angers you?  Look deeper than the surface.  It may not be what you think it is.  Sin should anger us.  Sin angers God.  But our anger should never cause us to sin.  That's when pride has to be turned to humility.  Sometimes I won't get my way. Sometimes you won't get yours.  Sometimes we have to swallow our pride.

 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, Ephesians 5:26

For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 1 John 2:16