1. Don't sin while you are angry
2. Get angry slow, and don't stay angry.
3. You love must abound far past your anger.
The first and second are fairly simple but not obvious. As a leader, you will sometimes gain respect when angry because, in light of circumstances and venue, it might actually show you stand for something of value, be it integrity, honesty, and/or fairness. Show me a leader who really stands for something of value and/or meaningfulness, and I will show you someone worth following. Therefore, here are a few more signs when your anger is not sinful and could be considered righteous. Rate yourself on these components.
1. It will take a lot to set off your anger.
2. You refrain from using profanity or using the Lord's name in vain.
3. Your anger is toward the offense not to degrade the person.
4. As a result, you don't take revenge against the person.
5. Your anger will visually and inwardly fade very fast, even the same day.
For the most part, my anger fades fast, most of the time within minutes or hours. Early in my marriage, I could have a heated argument with my wife and an hour later take her out for dinner like nothing even happened. However I must admit that recently, I was hurt by some friends that cut so deep, it lasted months. It was partly because they did not even know it, and that even made my hurt turn into anger. It simmered for months until it began to turn to bitterness. I became bitter until the Lord revealed to me the sinfulness of my condition. I was amazed since I have always had the ability to cool off and forget quickly. My encouragement to you is to never take yourself for granted. The devil can get a hold on even what you consider the strongholds of your life. And he got me till I forgave.
Our third guideline is the key to all righteous anger management. LOVE. The question is this ... "Does our life abound with love IN CONTRAST to our anger?" How would you measure yourself in this? Does your love for those you lead abound far beyond your anger with them?
Our church pastor is preaching a series on 1 Corinthians 13. The resulting challenge is that I consciously am trying to do one act of love every day. Some take minutes some take longer. I will risk forfeiting God's blessing by giving you some examples in my own life this week if it would help spur your thoughts toward superseding your anger with your abounding love. This week I helped some older women connecting their computer in an internet cafe, I tried to evangelize in a county fair booth. Twice I bought some construction workers bottles of Gatorade, and a few minutes ago I offered some cash to a lady having trouble with an ATM machine. Not much I admit, but the best I could do in a week that my management is shorthanded and when "Murphy's" law seemed to prevail (Just an expression my friends, not theologically correct).
Friends and leaders, learn the art of righteous anger management. May those you lead recognize the heart of the matter ... and that is the heart of Christ in you.
Measure your anger by your love,
