Righteous vs. Unrighteous Anger

A number of years back I was playing for our church softball team. It was a large church so we actually fielded a very competitive team and played in an industrial league. One game we were being beaten fairly badly and the other team seemed to be yukking it up at our expense. Our coach came in and said in all seriousness that we need to kindle our "righteous anger".

Now, I am not sure I can peg exactly righteous anger vs. unrighteous anger, but I know that was not it. I will give it my best shot however using the lens of Scripture and the Holy Spirit to guide me. Righteous anger looks at things through God's eyes. Well God hates sin but loves the sinner. That is why Jesus could go into the temple (twice) and turn over the tables of the moneychangers who pretended they knew God but could love the woman at the well, or the woman caught in adultery, or rich young ruler, or the cheat Zacchaeus. Not once did he approach these obvious sinners in anger. The difference - they did not know God or really even pretend to know God.

Unrighteous anger is looking at things through the lens of man. All too often we flip the two - we hate the sinner before we hate the sin. No wonder James says that the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God (James 1:20). Truth be told, many of us are not that far off from the hatemongers at Westboro Baptist Church.

I have said many times that I have an anger problem. Many people would not say that that know me but those who know me best can attest to it.  As I was thinking about this blog today while I was riding my bike, a car came up behind me and laid on the horn as I was turning left at a red stop light. No doubt from a legal perspective I had the right to the lane and there was one car at the lane. I should have let it go, but instead I cursed at the man in flowery words that I am quite capable of letting loose. The man yelled right back at me. I doubt seriously that man knew I name the name of Christ in my heart.  That is the anger of man illustrated before my very eyes.

To nip anger in the bud requires me to look at another sinner like me through the God lens. God sees another lost person just like me. He sees another man or woman worthy of His grace just like me. I missed it today and pray I will see it tomorrow.