Prioritized Anger
by Steve Countryman

There are lots of things in the world today that will make you angry. Just turn on the TV and watch demonstrations around the world, marches on Washington D.C., protestors across the country and any town hall meeting and you will witness anger and frustration from average people of all ethnic, educational and work backgrounds. As Christians, are we to get angry? Do Christians get upset? What does a mad Christian look like? Doesn't the Bible say that we are to be weak, quiet, subservient, non-threatening, stay off to ourselves, weak-willed, ignorant, accepting, compromising, uneducated and simple minded? No, the Bible DOES NOT say that. It says that the meek will inherit the earth, not the weak but the meek. The lowly in spirit, not haute or boastful or a braggart but humble. I heard the best explanation of what being meek means. Being meek is someone who possess the power, ability and/or the means to exact revenge but doesn't. Being mildly tempered or patient.

Jesus was meek not weak. He was filled with righteous indignation in scripture at the temple when Jesus drove out the buys and sellers. They were treating God's temple court as a market place instead of a house of prayer. Another example of Jesus' righteous indignation was when He was talking about the Pharisees and teachers of the law the religious leaders in Jerusalem in front of the people when He called them hypocrites, blind guides, snakes and vipers. I have started praying that God will fill me with righteous indignation and that I would be upset with all of the things that really matter. Too often we blow up over the smallest of things while ignoring the critical ones. It is easy to get upset with the daily problems and troubles while ignoring those things that try to trap us back into sin. Those things are the things that we should be mad and upset about. Forgetting to do something at work or an errand you were supposed to do is far less important to be upset about than committing a sin that leads you into more sins. All of the things that God is upset with I should be upset with too! Now how do I prioritize that list? In prayer He gave me the answer, My Ten Commandments and in that order. Wow how simple is that? The good news is that I don't have to prioritize all of the 600+ laws that the religious leaders came up with in the Old Testament but just follow the Ten Commandments.

Road rage is probably the best single example of out of control rage. Anyone who would endanger the lives of themselves and others for the sake of getting back at someone who "cut them off" in traffic is someone who shows out of control rage. Getting upset at someone in traffic is normal. To what extreme that you are willing to carry it to can lead to road rage, pain, suffering, death, prison time and fines. Prioritized anger is not the same as out of control rage. Out of control rage is someone who lacks self-control. Prioritized anger is treating those things that upset you most and putting them in a list of priority. The majority of people always seem to put the things that have happened to them at the top. That gets their attention and is more important than anything else until it is resolved. In God's big picture self-important things goes towards the bottom of the list. Example abortion or the willful act of murdering babies vs. not getting your promotion. Both can make you mad but since the promotion incident pertains to you it takes priority. Yes getting a promotion affects you and your family so it has importance. You say "what can I do that will make a difference in stopping abortions?" Actually there are several things you can do if you are interested and if you are willing to find out. It ALL starts with prayer and the Holy Spirit will take you on from there. Praying is always the best response and is the best starting point. Ignoring or avoiding the problem will not make it go away. Besides you maybe surprised how much God can do through you if you will just step out in faith!

For far too long we Christians have compromised away or condoned in silence the blessings, anointing, favor and righteousness of God. When confronted with worldly issues, new laws against Christian values and sinfulness flaunted in front of our children we compromised or condone them in silence. Schools that are teaching sex education and homosexual/alternate lifestyles, from what was college age, down to pre-schoolers means that we have compromised or condoned in silence. Condoning in silence is what we do best. Between the two, condoning in silence or compromising, condoning in silence is far worst for no conversation or argument is even attempted. Compromising is what happens to those Christians who would at least say something. Condoning in silence is what all of the rest of the Christians did who forgot to speak up, didn't have the guts to speak up or didn't care to speak up. Compromising postpones up to nullifying the original intent by diluting the objection that was in the way. Condoning something gives it immediate permission. Condoning is the act of giving permission., allowing and or blessing an act, behavior or statement. Condoning in silence is self-condemning. There is no one to blame for keeping silent but yourself!

Here is a prayer that all of us Christians should pray out loud: Father God fill me and ALL of your children with the courage and boldness of the Holy Spirit and with the righteous indignation of Jesus Christ. That my only boasting I do is in you and your wonderful love. Help me Holy Spirit to speak up and stand up, speak out and stand out. Help me to boldly proclaim your Word and to prioritize my anger to match yours Father God. Help me to ignore the trivial and pounce on the critical. Help me Jesus to let go of offenses and release those who sin against me. That I will be offended only at the sin and not the sinner. Give me the patience to avoid the daily pitfalls of life and its entrapments and not to miss out but enjoy the blessings that you give me. AMEN! It is time to stand!


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