Anger Lunch

Each week for the last month or so, we've been having a very informal lunch after the Sunday gatherings. There are a few of us who are consistent each week and others who pop in when they can. Yesterday was no exception - and the topic lent itself to conversation perfectly.

Who of us does not deal with anger? Is there a person on the planet that keeps their cool 24/7? I don't think so. If there were than the verses in the bible that speak to the idea of anger wouldn't say things like, "in your anger, do not sin..." We will get angry. That's a given. Where does it come from? And as people who are trying to follow Christ, what do we do with it?

Here are a couple 'anger' questions to consider:

Do you court anger? One of the lunchers yesterday shared of a story from work. She said that when her fellow-employee gets to work, he ALWAYS checks the work of the shift before them. He then proceeds to complain about what the prior shift did wrong. He chooses anger each day.

How do you deal with injustice around you? Another luncher shared of seriously poor working conditions. These guys are working in the freezing cold without a kerosene for the heater that was promised to them. The luncher went to his boss on Saturday to try and get some heat for his friends. His supervisor, void of sympathy, told him if he didn't like it he could just go home. The luncher did go home, but not before going out and buying kerosene with his own money to get the heat going.

Another luncher shared of difficult work circumstances she's dealt with for a year. She made the decision NOT to let her anger show at work, but at the same time, she feels a little inauthentic...

How does one distinguish between selfish anger and selfless anger? How does one ramp up one and tone down the other?

Regular people looking for real answers...and figuring things out as we walk together.