Unless you are a convicted murderer or have taken another humans life in malice you may feel like that you got this one down. Almost like “fewwww…I am safe here!” I am so far gone from violating this principle, I don’t even kill the bugs in my house, I would never hurt another human being!
Really…..I said the same thing until read the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 5. Here is a glimpse “…"Do not murder" and "A murderer must be brought to trial." But I promise you that if you are angry with someone, you will have to stand trial.” (Matthew 5:21-22)
What???? Anger equal to the act of murder, well yeah! Maybe not in the capital punishment arena but most definitely in the area God looks at. How could this be? I mean I get angry a lot! Well it’s not as much the emotion of anger but the planting of that seed in your heart and the cultivating of that anger into hate! It’s in the court of the heart that man made courts have not authority, but God’s court reigns supreme.
“The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
See God is always looking at the heart of the matter, the core of a human. For He knows it is that which produces what is on the outside that men and women observe. He looks into the heart and sees murder (the physical act) in the form a seed called anger. Physical killing, mental damming or emotional judgment starts in the heart when one becomes so overwhelmed with unchecked anger that they must have a release of that anger, they must vent it. So the hanis act of murder starts in the same place as the emotion of anger.
So if they both have the same starting point, where does the path split differ? I think it’s how you vent your anger.
“A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” (Proverbs 29:11)
Notice the Scripture says “FULL VENT”…hummm a clue! It does not say a “fool vents” his anger instead the emphasis is on the manner in which we control or check that anger against something greater!
Let’s face it everyone gets angry, even Jesus did! But His anger was different. He was operating in a righteous anger that was unsinful. Often our anger crosses the line into sin. The Scripture says that only a “fool” lets his/her anger vent out of control. I believe that is where we cross the line, where the path splits or differs and the act of murder begins, murder in one’s emotion.
Whether it is through pre-mediated killing, mercy-killings, abortion, suicide or living with hate in our hearts it all is a product of anger vented in the wrong path. Instead we are told by the Bible to do something more productive with our anger, to use it to drive us towards righteous acts and right living. Let me say, it is possible to operate in anger that is healthy, that does not cross the line.
“In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, (Ephesians 4:26)
Instead the typical “vent” is in retribution or in getting even for something that we find wrong and thus cross the line. You might ask me, “well where is the line?” That’s a good question and one I don’t believe is defined in a post, article or book. For many years I struggled with anger that I gave “full vent” to. I never murdered anyone physically but I did violate Jesus’ teachings many times when I would say “I wish they were dead” or secretly hated them in my heart. In the court room of my heart I knew I had been found guilty of showing the venom of unchecked anger.
The best I can tell you is to study the above Scriptures and have them on your heart and mind when you get angry. That way you can then ask God; “am I crossing the line?” Your spirit will then cry out in a warning, a warning that tells us to be more cautious with your anger and place it in check every time. Over time you will learn where that line is and in your anger you will stop sinning. In the meantime make sure to not let any act of anger go un-examined, don’t squash the little voice of warning. Let forgiveness and love reign in more abundance in your life and don’t let the sun go down until you clearly identify the line. Be as passionate about controlling your anger as you are about letting it out!
“Heavenly Father, through the Holy Spirit I pray they would learn how to apply only righteous anger in their lives, offer and receive forgiveness and love. That You would teach them how to be angry and not sin. In Jesus Name…Amen!”
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