Handle Anger Carefully

Whoever is angry with his brother without a cause
shall be in danger of the judgment.
– Matthew 5:22 –

Being angry with someone is not necessarily wrong, provided our anger arises for righteous reasons and is handled in a righteous way. More often than not we are angry for selfish reasons. Being angry with a brother or sister “without a cause” is sinful and places us in danger of divine judgment.

If you are angry with your brother in Christ because he got in your way, then you are angry without cause. If you are angry with a sister in Christ because she disagreed with your opinion or refused your wishes, then you are angry without cause. The vast majority of reasons you become angry are wrong. James says, “You lust and do not have; so you commit murder” (James 4:2 NASB). Your lust for respect, pleasure, or anything else moves you to think angry thoughts and thereby “murder” others in your heart.

Anger can wreak havoc in the body of Christ. It alienates friends and destroys relationships. Too often we fail to notice the hurt our anger causes. Rather than justifying our anger, we need to repent of the selfish desires that feed it. Rather than blame others, we need to take responsibility for how we feel, look to Christ for forgiveness, and learn to live with selfless love for others.