Everywhere I look people are angry. Some are angry for selfish reasons, others claim a righteous anger at injustice. But how useful is anger – even righteous anger? As a Christian, I look to the life and choices of Jesus as the model for how to be an authentic human being. To be honest, I don’t see a lot of anger there. I see him weeping over Jerusalem, with its poor and disabled ignored by the elite. I see him telling parables about how those who see his face in the homeless and hungry will receive the joy of eternal life. But anger? Not so much. 

After decades of advising people to “let it all out,” psychologists are realizing that not all expressions of anger are healthy or helpful. The burgeoning field of emotional intelligence is drawing many psychologists to draw near to the ancient wisdom found in Scripture: “Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end” (Proverbs 29:11).

I have realized that all too often what I have called my righteous anger is more about me – my discomfort with someone’s actions or works, my pain at seeing others treated badly - than about bringing God’s calm goodness to a difficult, even unjust, situation. Now, when I start to get angry I try to stop, take a breath, and ask myself, “How can I bring God’s goodness into this situation?” The answer isn’t always obvious, but I know I’m becoming a better person by asking the question

Rev. Vivian Hiestand

Executive Pastor