In your anger, do not sin … — Ephesians 4:26
I’ve refereed many fights between my children, and I want to focus on this one that happened a couple years ago.
"Why does Hans hate me?" my then thirteen-year-old daughter cried to me about her eleven-year-old brother.
I was tired of being the referee, so I decided to make up a checklist — things you gotta do before you bring your fight to Dad. Things like listen to the other person and restate their position and their feelings in your own words, etc. I thought I could get away with just handing the checklist to them, but my daughter wisely suggested they give it a try in my presence.
I’m so glad she did that. We started off with a round of anger — they were so angry with each other. But as they started listening to each other, they made an amazing discovery. Underneath that anger was another feeling — a tender hurting feeling. They both were hurting deeply for exactly the same reason.
What started out as a fight became a discovery that connected them on a deeper level so they could empathize with and respect one another.
Getting angry is always an opportunity. It can, of course, be an opportunity for evil. But it can also be an opportunity for God. Imagine the good God can do in our lives every time He gets His hands on our anger!
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.