The students are back in town. It’s all very jolly and a breeze of excitement is blowing through the town. The first-years are eagerly waiting for the fun to start, many for the first time behind the wheel of their own lives.

The Student Council asked my friend, Frik, to talk to the young people about mentorship, life choices and more. As usual, he calls a spade a spade and set up a little drama on stage.

He had two young people sit next to each other and told one of them that she had to swoon as the hunk walked past. He made them hold hands and snuggle even closer.

Quietly he pushed a cloth elephant under the girl’s shirt and chased the hunk to go and snuggle with another girl. The girl with the elephant is left behind in shock.

Frik said, “Do you see? Drunk with love, you make a decision that will change your life forever. You have to decide now what you are going to do when you’re drunk with love, because then there will be no time to make life choices”.

Emotions mess up your decision-making. Wrong doesn’t look that wrong and right pops up around every corner. Emotions jumbles up your decisions and when the dust settles, you’re left with the consequences.

Getting angry is also an emotion. It’s a negative reaction to something or someone in our way. And when we allow the emotion to take over, chances are good that what we’re going to say or do next will not be that fresh. The possibility that we’ll leave bodies in our wake is good. The odds that we’ll act outside of God’s will, just as good.

²⁰God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger.

Getting angry and anger are part of the brokenness of people, and, unfortunately, some people’s fuses are shorter than others. Someone just looking at them the wrong way causes an explosion.

Even though it is human, it’s not right. In this emotional state of anger, you make decisions that you may later regret. Like the student with the grey elephant.

Anger is the opposite of God’s plan for our lives. Anger tears you away from what is good. The consequences of anger are never good. Anger puts a stick in God’s wheel, in other words, God’s will for us.

Let’s plan to curb the emotions. When we feel it pushing up inside us, let’s turn around and find a quiet place to let off steam.

Let’s pray for wisdom and learn to use that energy differently so that we will do what is right in God’s eyes even in difficult circumstances.

Scripture
James 1:19-27

Reflection
What makes you angry?
How can you channel that angry energy differently?
Must God help you?

Prayer
Father, I know anger is not within your will. I know it hurts and wreaks havoc and that’s really not what I want to do. But sometimes I can’t stop myself. Help! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.