Anger is deceptive. When we think that our anger is righteous, we tend to see ourselves as superior to those who oppose us.
It’s easy to consider your own anger to be righteous. It’s not so easy to feel that way about the anger of the people who disagree with you.
Christians are called to win people’s hearts with love, not to impose our will on them through manipulation, coercion, or force. If we’re not “speaking the truth in love” as the Bible says, our anger probably isn’t righteous.
Any anger you have that doesn’t “love your enemies” violates the command of Jesus. Therefore it isn’t righteous anger either.
You can’t have righteous anger without awareness of your own sin. “Bless those who curse you.” Since anger is deceptive, irrational, self-focused, and consuming, it’s difficult to consistently stay with righteous anger.
Self-examination helps. Perhaps we need to have righteous anger toward our own unwillingness to forgive others and to love our enemies.
Anger can easily get us out of line with our conscience. It’s stressful to be unaligned with your conscience.
Stirred-up anger is dangerous and can easily get out of control. For example, the 4,200+ race-based lynchings during America’s Jim Crow period, were driven by anger that those involved would have probably considered “righteous anger.” Incivility can lead to horrible behaviors.
It’s time for understanding, compassion, and kindness. Search for my book: Off the RACE Track–From Color-Blind to Color-Kind.
