Dealing with anger: He braided a whip of cords

(John 2:15).  We are admonished in two ways to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1). Firstly, as we were discussing yesterday, we need to ask ourselves why we are angry (Genesis 4:6). Here Jesus knew exactly why He was angry. They'd made His Father's house a house of merchandise (John 2:16), a den of thieves (Mark 11:17).  If we don't know why we're angry we will likely  take it out on the  innocent.  Sari did this dealing harshly with Hagar (Genesis 16:6). It was not just! You have probably heard the story of how the husband having got it from the boss takes it out on the wife, she takes it out on the kids who take it out on the dog. But the wrath of man  does not work the righteousness of God (James 1:20).

Many have the feeling Jesus was always nice, “gentle Jesus meek and mild,  wouldn't hurt a fly.” Meek, as in humble,  sure, but mild, really? How about “Woe unto you Scribes pharisees hypocrites” (Matthew 23:13), and how about Him overturning the tables in the Temple here in John 2:15?  Yes orthodox teaching has Jesus as God, but He was also fully human.  And He had all the same human emotions we have, joy, laugher, anger, sorrow etc., etc. He wept (John 11:35)!  

But He knew why He was angry and,  in the second place where we need to be  imitators of God, He knew how to deal with anger, how to process it.  Here Jesus braided a whip from cords.  Perhaps His hands were trembling, and knew He needed to do something that would help Him make sure He was fully in control before He acted. To say that He never felt overwhelmed would make Him less than human, and this is error (1 John 4:2,3). It would take time and concentration to make the whip. When we're angry, we need to do something too, maybe go to the gym and work out, or go for a long walk.  But anger can be useful in that it can give us the courage to address some injustice. It can give us the courage to come out of conflict avoidance. But we do need to understand it,  and we do need to “braid the whip!”

About this,  if we have allowed our anger to get out of control, we may need to tap into the resources of anger management,  available today. But it's much easier if we learn  from the beginning firstly to ask why we are angry,  and then to process it. It would be a lot easier to stop smoking after the first cigarette, than after having smoked for years. Like Jesus we can learn to be angry and sin not.  And we need to obey the command to not let the sun go down on our wrath (Ephesians 4:26). With His help we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).  Maturity is learning self control, learning how to deal with our often overwhelming emotions.

Father,  when our spirits are overwhelmed within us, we need like David to pour out our complaint to You, to declare all our trouble to You,  the God of all comfort (Psalm 142:2, 3; 2 Corinthians 1:3). Self control is part of the fruit of Your Spirit Lord,  and it comes as we learn to walk with You. Help us Lord for we are weak, but You are strong. We love You Father in Jesus Name Amen.