Cause and Cost of Anger

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: ………….
(Mat 5:22)

The natural reaction when rights are violated upon, whether it is for themselves or others is to retaliate. Inevitably anger will be involved because the emotional part of our soul (mind, will and emotion) will be stirred demanding corrective action to make right what we deem as necessary. For example today we have many who form causes to fight world hunger, animal cruelty, global warming, political injustices, etc. Some of these causes have recently erupted in violence stemmed from anger and people get hurt, some mortally.

But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, .....
(Rom 2:29)

The ‘but’ in Jesus statement in the Sermon on the Mount seeks to beckon us to see matters from His Divine perspective. The teachers of the Law in His time were zealous forceful guardians of it, unfortunately focusing on the external more than the root of problem… the heart. We can fall into the same trap that Samuel did (1 Sam 16:7), to measure a man or a woman from the outward. So our righteousness or moral right-ness has to exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees to consider what God looks at. Anything short of that will cause us to miss entering the Kingdom of Heaven.

Why Jesus did said that we cannot be angry without a cause? Surely anger is aroused for a cause? I believe Jesus meant that we can’t afford to be angry for the matters that He is unconcerned for. When we start evaluating the things we get angry over, how much of it concerns the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness? If it doesn’t, Jesus means that our anger is causeless having no basis to take the next retaliatory step.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.
(Eph 4:26-27)

Our anger if it doesn’t concern God’s cause can lead to the devil’s advantage. In Mark 3 is an account of Jesus being judged for righteousness sake and anger rose within Him leading to grieving for the hypocritical hardness of hearts and went on to heal the man with the withered arm. Righteous anger leads to grieving for what is sorely missed, mercy did prevail and the man was healed. Conversely the Pharisees sought to kill, clearly the devil already had his foothold on them (John 10:10).

For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
(Act 8:23)

The outcome of anger is usually bitterness which then imprisons us until the ‘last penny’ is paid (Matt 5:26). In other words, it will be very costly for us when we end up bitter. To avoid being a prisoner of bitterness Paul ask us to put away bitterness and forgive even as Christ as forgiven us (Eph 4:31, 32). The paradox of the Kingdom of God is first take the action to forgive and God will forgive us in return, just as mercy is experienced only by the merciful (Matt 5:7). We can’t afford to let causeless anger control our life.