There is something about having a fit of rage.
Observing people have a temper tantrum can be as fascinating as it is tragic. You see the person go from mildly irritated to apoplectic in the space of mere seconds. They really do appear like a boiling pot that overflows as they pour out their rage and spew out their anger often with words and then with associated actions. Depending on their mood, they can carry on like this for a fair few minutes. Then once they have completed their tantrum they may have the chance to look at the effects of their storm. The aftermath can be rather epic in size and impact. Hurt feelings, damaged relationships (if it remains intact) and devastated hearts.
This is the thing about wisdom. The principle of wisdom does not prevent anger at all. Wisdom acknowledges that the appropriate response to some situations is anger. Where there’s injustice allowed to take place, anger is appropriate. Where unrighteousness is allowed to prosper, anger is appropriate. It’s appropariate, but it’s not the primary method to respond to the situation. It’s not, exactly because we know some of the destructive effects of anger that’s not tempered. Wisdom acknowledges anger and uses it to motivate action to address the wrong. Once it’s motivated that, the anger can be channelled into something far more constructive. Where there’s injustice, the anger may motivate the act for justice, but not be foundation for the act for justice. Where there’s unrighteousness letting anger remain would corrupt any hope of true righteousness, so anger can make you look for righteousness, but it’s not the main driver for the righteousness.
This is why wisdom is so important. Wisdom does not just look at what’s going on now, it is not just about being impulsive for what can offer imediate gratification. Wisdom looks for what will make for peace – true and deep peace.
That’s wonderful in theory, you might say. That’s easy to type down in a blog but to live it out in the pressures of life where things can happen so quickly you don’t know how to respond then it’s not so easy.
The thing about that, however, is that acknowledging how hard that can be in practise admits our tendency to just revert to what comes easier to us. It’s easier to flare up in a temper tantrum. It’s easier to get angry and let off some steam right in someone’s face. It’s easier in the moment, but it won’t lead to anything easier after that moment. We admit this should be a hint that perhaps we need some help with this. Maybe we need some help on the inside of us so that when what comes easy to us wants to rise up, the help can kick in and as an impulse remind us that the way of wisdom is the best.
We need the help on the inside of us. And that help is available.
If we could look beyond ourselves for that help.
(Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 