Anger. We’ve all been there … tense, hot-cheeked, blood-boiling. If we’re lucky, sometimes it passes all on its own. But other times — most times — we have to do something about it, and our options are limited. We can wait it out, but that can sometimes turn it into a long-lasting simmer that’s even harder to shake. We can let it out, but that can sometimes — most times — make a bad situation worse. Or, we can let it go, though we all know that’s easier said than done. Anger is a tricky emotion.
And believe it or not, Jesus had to navigate it, too … which can be hard to imagine given the picture that many people have of him. But the truth is this: Jesus was a man who lived in a chaotic, complex world not unlike our own. He wasn’t immune to strife.
During his life, Jesus’ emotions were well recorded in the Bible. He was said to have cried, loved, rejoiced. And yes, he felt anger — on more than one occasion. He was angered by those who wouldn’t stop mistreating others after being called out. He grew angry when people lacked compassion while witnessing suffering. He didn’t like seeing the rich take advantage of the poor or the power-hungry feed on the weak. And hypocritical leaders who did all those things and more? Now that really got under his skin.
But in all these instances, it’s worth reading about how Jesus chose to respond to his anger. He had a measured patience about him. He took his time before taking action, and once he finally did, his approach had a shocking lack of malice. His words had no cruelty in them. His actions appeared free of bias. Even at his hottest (when, yes, he upturned a thieving trader’s table in a place of worship), witnesses described his behavior with the Greek word “zelos,” which translates to “zeal.” They understood he wasn’t motivated by rage. He had the energy and enthusiasm to right the wrongs he was seeing.
And there’s something important to note about that zeal — Jesus got angry when others were treated unjustly, but he didn’t get angry on his own behalf. Even when he was mocked, defamed, and sentenced to death, he didn’t lash out. Why? Surely no one would have blamed him.
Perhaps Jesus knew that anger is a potent thing. It can be used to draw needed attention to injustice, but it can very easily drive wedges between people, and Jesus was in the business of reconciliation, not retaliation. When we are rightly angry on another’s behalf, we can be fair mediators and seek restorative justice. When we are wronged ourselves, Jesus taught that restoration comes through turning the other cheek.
These days, that may sound like a tall order. We live in a world where we have become masters at justifying our own rage about one thing or another. But Jesus gave us a great example to follow when wading through the anger maze. If we were to take the time to drop our personal malice and bias … if we were to shed our egos and self-serving agendas … how much justifiable anger are we really left with? And how can we move forward with it from a place of love and forgiveness instead of hate and rage to make our lives and others’ better?
