Holy Anger by Chavonn Shen

Day 1 of 4: Ephesians 4:30-31

Don’t make the Holy Spirit of God unhappy—you were sealed by him for the day of redemption. Put aside all bitterness, losing your temper, anger, shouting, and slander, along with every other evil.
-Ephesians 4:30-31 (CEB)

When I was little, a bunch of trees in my neighborhood got Dutch Elm Disease and so my dad and others from the neighborhood had to cut them down. This was a necessary task because the rotten trees could fall on someone's house. But seven-year-old Chavonn didn't see it that way. Seven-year-old Chavonn was convinced that those people were ruining the environment and taking away the animals' homes but didn’t know that Dutch Elm Disease was already taking away the animals' homes. I made a sign and taped it to my front door that said "No tree killers allowed in my house." My dad took it down right after. So I made another sign. Even at 7, I knew the importance of being a steward of God’s earth and protecting the marginalized. But I was also an incredibly self-righteous child and this is just one of the many examples of times that I mistook self-righteousness for holy anger.

Paul talks a lot about anger in today’s scriptures. These verses are from letters written by the Apostle Paul to a group of very new followers of Christ. The book of Ephesians constantly emphasizes the need for Christians to cast aside their old way of living in favor of a life of integrity and unity with fellow believers. The verses for today are an example of this need.

To be honest there are times when I read chapter 4 and I think it’s completely ridiculous. Why shouldn’t I keep my anger when it’s a God-given emotion, as holy as the others? And if I’m still being honest, there are times when I think these verses have a hint of self-righteousness as well. But I feel that way when I look at these verses in isolation rather than thinking of them as part of a larger story.

When I feel most excluded from the Bible, it’s usually because I’m focusing on a few verses devoid of context rather than remembering the thread of liberation woven throughout the entire thing.

When I read these verses in the context of Jesus’ liberating love, I start to see a story based on a God who cares for me and wants what’s best for me rather than reducing God to a deity that nitpicks our every move to see if we’re sinning. And it’s super important to remember that just because something’s true, it doesn’t mean it’s true all of the time. Just because the anger mentioned in these verses is destructive, I know that anger is still a holy emotion. And my anger at its holiest is a motivator for me to seek and pursue justice.

How can anger be a holy emotion?

Day 1 of 4: Ephesians 4:30-31

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