“For man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” (James 1:20)
The Bible teaches us that sin separates us from God. But you know what? It wasn’t until recently that I realized that sin as far back as my own childhood is robbing me of the opportunity to know the fullness of God.
When I was seven, I broke a vase on the hearth of our fireplace. I knew that my mother was going to wear me out when she found out about it. As a matter of background, trouble had its way of finding me and wearing me out was akin to a hobby in my house, at least it seemed that way to me.
Most of my spankings were deserved, but the anger that my mother allowed to go with them was never deserved. Her anger was often the driving force behind those spankings. No child should be treated that way.
Just after I broke that vase, my mother had to go to the hospital for some minor surgery. When my family went to visit her the night before her surgery, I refused to go with them. I was convinced that I would get that spanking in her hospital room and begged my dad to let me stay home. I never saw my mother again.
I remember when our best friend came to pick me up at school the day my mother died. It was recess and I saw her all the way across the playground, talking to my second grade teacher. I knew what had happened.
When I got home, my dad and oldest brother were in her bedroom crying their eyes out. I couldn’t understand their grief. I was glad that she was dead. Her death meant an end to my spankings. I was willing to sacrifice all the attributes that mother gives to a child just to avoid those relentless whippings.
I’ve only recently realized how angry I am about what happened to me as a child. The problem is I’ve also allowed that anger to manifest itself in areas of my life where it does not belong and is not appropriate. How am I any different than my mother?
God does not want us to harbor anger. He warns us that it will not bring about the righteous life that he desires for us. That’s why Paul said to the church at Ephesus, “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” (Ephesians 4:26)
We can never experience the fullness of God’s love through the veil of anger. I know now that my unmitigated anger for my mother continues to stand between God and me. It’s time to deal with it before the sun goes down. Solomon is right. “…Anger resides in the lap of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:9)
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