Being Tender with Our Anger

The Jesus who flips tables invites us to think about anger. Perhaps it’s scary for you to see an angry Jesus, because you haven’t seen anger managed well often, or perhaps it’s comforting that he experienced this messy emotion just like us. How did anger fit into Jesus’ life, and how is it meant to fit into ours?

Scripture paints a picture of a God “slow to anger, abounding in compassion,” and that’s the overwhelming narrative we see in Jesus’ life too. His leading characteristic is his radically generous love, and yes, sometimes, he gets angry. Pause for a moment and remind yourself of some of those loving Jesus stories, from the dinner parties he threw to the children he welcomed to the people he healed.

Jesus’ followers continue that theme in the New Testament, suggesting that people should “be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” (James 1:19)

Slow anger… How about well tended anger? Therapist Aundi Kolber puts it this way:

“...we have to learn *how* to tend to anger. It goes without saying, just because we feel incredibly fiery doesn’t mean it’s okay to hurt others (it’s not). Yet, anger is a vital emotion because it allows us to mobilize in order to set boundaries, use our voice, take up space, and/or reclaim what was stolen. Our sacred anger is a gift that helps us move toward wholeness.”

How might you be tender to your anger today? Not necessarily allowing it to make quick decisions, but listening to it and honoring the wisdom it has to share with you? Talk with Jesus about these things.

Remember, this week we’re thinking about how the Jesus who flips table fits into the overall plot of Scripture. What do you think Jesus’ anger was telling him in that moment?