December 11
PROVERBS 22
22 Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or crush the afflicted at the gate,
23 for the LORD will plead their cause
and rob of life those who rob them.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
– Proverbs 22:22-25
PROVERBS 22 THE UPSIDE OF ANGER
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
If one is easily angered when they don’t get their cravings met
They will do everything they can to manipulate others to get it
Stay away from people like these for they will bring you to ruin
You will learn their manipulative ways and provoke you to sin.
Instead, use anger to free those who are oppressed and abused
Be angry when justice is deprived to the vulnerable and without a voice
Be mad and expose the evil ways of men to put an end to wickedness
Confront those who twist the truth and mislead others to unrighteousness.
Why do you think God included anger as part of our emotional framework? Why didn’t he just give us the pleasant ones like happy, joyful, ecstatic, content, loving, and other positive feelings? Why do we feel fear, hatred, disgusted, lonely, rejected, angry and many other negative emotions?
In James 1:20, he explains that the anger of humans does not produce God’s righteousness. In other words, on our own, anger is never righteous. In Matthew 21:12-13, we saw how Jesus overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. The Pharisees didn’t like that Jesus exposed the corruption happening in his Father’s house where they have turned it into a marketplace. His anger was right.
REFLECTION
• Cite some examples when anger is justified.
