Be Angry but do not sin

February is fast coming to an end and spring will soon be upon us - at least we hope so! May the changing seasons bring hope for the brighter days ahead.

The Scripture passage chosen for this morning is a short one, Ephesians 4:26: "Be angry without sinning. Don’t let the sun set on your anger." (CEB)

At first glance this seems a very straight forward instruction, with not much to talk about. But let's think about anger. It is a complex emotion, often hiding other feelings and emotions. Sometimes hurt, worry, frustration, or even hunger can manifest as anger. Sometimes it can be easier to lash out than to deal with a situation and the fear, insecurity, or frustration it causes. I don't think these are the times that Ephesians is talking about when it says "Be angry."  These are the times when we need to recognize what is really going on and deal with the issue and the true feelings within us. These are times when we need to remember the part about not sinning and not letting the sun set on our anger. This is more easily said than done, but it is doable, at least I trust it is.

So when should we "Be angry?" If we follow Jesus' example it is not when people belittle us. It is not when we are inconvenienced or made uncomfortable. The only time we believe Jesus expressed anger was when he saw the outer court of the temple being used to raise money for a few people at the expense of many others, who just wanted to worship God. Some of these people, like poor widows, could not afford these "correct" offerings. This market was taking place in the Court of the Gentiles, interrupting the worship of those for whom that was the only place they were allowed to worship. Temple officials of that day not only turned a blind eye to the hardships these insignificant women, outsiders, and others were facing, but supported the money changers and offering sellers by their stringent ritual requirements. I guess it is understandable, then, that Jesus became so angry at the injustice, so angry at the misuse of religious power, so angry that so many people were being hindered in their ability to worship God.

Jesus' anger was for injustice experienced by others.

Injustice is still a cause for anger. I think we can feel called to anger when those with little power are subjected to unfair practices in our churches and our societies. I think we are called out of our complacency with our comfortable worship spaces to ask some hard questions. Who is being left out?  Who is being forced into unnecessary hardship? Who is being hindered in their attempts to worship? 

It is hard for me to know the answers to these questions - my life is pretty sheltered and comfortable. I have, however, heard stories of people of different races feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome in some congregations. I have heard stories of people of different sexual orientations feeling unwelcome and unaccepted in some congregations. Who are we making feel unwelcome?  For whom are we making worship inaccessible? Do we place financial expectations on those who wish to join us to worship? Do we expect a certain ethnic background? Do we expect a certain level of education? It is probably good to consider these and other issues and ask ourselves if we are placing barriers that would make Jesus angry. If so, maybe we need to become angry, too.

The passage, however, was not specifically about what are legitimate causes for anger. First I think that there is an acknowledgement that we will feel anger.  This is nothing to cause guilt or anguish, it just is. There is a place for anger - it can motivate us to action and give us a strength we did not know we had. BUT the second part is also import - be angry "without sinning." Whether our anger is misplaced hurt, frustration or fear, or whether it is righteous anger against an injustice, it does not justify doing what we know is wrong - hurting another person, stealing, lying, etc. We are still beloved children of a loving God and need to find ways to work for the right in a way that God can approve. The third aspect of this passage is to deal with whatever is causing the anger immediately. While we may not be able to resolve some issues, like systemic racism for example, before the sun sets, we can turn our anger into resolve to make a difference, to work to make things better.  If our anger is due to a simpler problem, like too much sugar or hurt feelings from something someone said, we need to deal with it right away. This may not mean before the sun sets, but it does mean before we let it fester and become a bigger issue that can affect our health and our relationships.

So, be angry on occasion, but do not let your anger control you and cause you to say or do things you will regret- do not sin. And deal with your anger as promptly as possible, figuring out what is the cause and dealing with it. If it is a righteous anger, let it motivate you to work to improve the situation. Do not let anger consume you. If given time to grow, anger can take away from your joy in this wonderful life we live and the beautiful people God has put into our lives. So, whenever possible, do not let the sun set on your anger.

May God be with you and inspire you to new ways of looking at things so, instead of just getting angry, you can make a difference. When you do feel angry, may God help you find the cause and deal with it. And in all things, may God continue to work in you and through you, God's image bearer.