I am someone who is quite naturally short-tempered. When I let anger get the better of me, I have most probably tried to do things my way, I know I should not be angry. But anger can be a good and important thing. Let us discover the positive value of controlled anger today.
What are some things that we get angry about? If you read the newspaper, many people were outraged by the sentence given to Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner. She was trialled inside closed door for a crime that did not even exist. Her house was broken into by an American intruder but the prosecutors argued that she violated rules of her house arrest.
For most of the past 20 years, she has been silenced by the military junta. One may ask, “who could speak for Aung San Suu Kyi?”
The anger of the international community was translated into action to push for sanctions, embargoes and the likes. Downing Street released a strongly word statement. Gordon Brown dismissed the trial as a "monstrous" sham.[i] Surely this anger is good and important for the democracy of Myanmar. I would be worried if we were not angry about what happened in Myanmar, or concerned about the lives of our neighbours next door.
I would say, controlled anger is not only a good thing but it is Christian and godly as well. People call it ‘righteous anger’. We ought to be angry about unrighteousness. It is sad but it is also true that there is so much injustice in the world every day. We cannot but be angry about that sort of thing. But even if you are angry, do not sin. (cf. Ephesians 4:26-27, NJB)
[i] Aung San Suu Kyi found guilty - sentence will keep her out of election
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6790986.ece
