The Seven Deadly Sins – Anger

Nothing quite makes you seem,
like a fool more than anger does.
This vice is worthy of tackling,
considering anger is worthy of pause.
Anger involves our whole person,
our response to a threat that comes.
To someone or something we love,
so we charge in with blazing guns.
A moral judgment towards evil,
anger can be righteous indeed.
But as sinners holding it’s power,
we often turn it with deadly speed.
Anger can get us what we want,
it manipulates, controls, & distorts.
Because our little kingdom’s disrupted,
we yell, snap, react, and retort.
No longer concerned about God,
our desires become strong demands.
Then our desires start to rule,
our indulgence now quite out of hand.
Anger kills us physically,
our heart, blood pressure, and mood.
Relationally hurting those we love,
creating long-term hurts and wounds.
We yell in order to control,
we react quickly and without pause.
Anger creates distance from others,
for who wants to go near THOSE claws?
But deepest of the problems,
is the havoc wreaked on one’s soul.
If left unchecked and unrepented,
the fires of hell is where you’ll roll.
If you struggle with anger,
there is good news for your cause.
Anger holds the power for good,
if as it surfaces you stop and pause.
It can motivate you for hard things,
give you fuel and courage to speak.
Controlled, focused on God’s kingdom,
anger can protect and defend the weak.
God gets angry, God is holy,
his slowness to anger passes the test.
He gets angry at what is evil,
but responds in ways that are best.
The next time you grow angry,
ask yourself why is it so?
Am I defending my pride or ego,
or not letting my desires go?
Am I hurting someone I love,
instead of patiently trying to understand?
Is it my little kingdom upset,
or has my preference become a demand?
A soft answer turns away wrath,
it’s your glory to overlook an offense.
God is in charge; you are not,
let it go and put down your defense.
Know your weaknesses when they come,
does lack of sleep or stress make you prone?
Perhaps you need a break and silence,
or time to step away, pray, be alone.
When life goes wrong, aim your anger,
not at the person but at the wrong.
Hate what God hates, loves what he loves,
let his gentle lowliness be your song.
For as your Savior hung on a tree,
the greatest anger he endured for you.
He took the wrath of God in full,
to cleanse your anger and make you new.
You don’t have to give in,
the Spirit can slow you down.
Trust in Jesus, let it go,
his blood is solid, his promises sound.
The cries of, “Crucify him, crucify him!”
in angry tones from angry men.
Determined to kill Jesus Christ,
the perfect God-man that was sent.
Jesus foreknew the ones that despised,
omnisciently seeing anger in their depths.
But he did not flinch or hesitate,
to allow his pierced hands to hold their debt.
So you who think that your anger,
will always win and have it’s hold.
It can be redeemed, it can be healed,
through the greatest story ever told.
Jesus has come to rescue you,
from every bitter thought & angry shout.
Trust him that he’s making you new,
working slowly from the inside out.