Anger is an emotion that everyone has. Even babies exhibit anger. It is natural and we were created with this emotion and all other natural emotions because we come from God- even God gets angry. Usually, anger is viewed in a negative manner because people who exhibit the emotion at a given time, usually don’t know how to temper their anger. They show the anger, ragingly reveal their anger verbally, and then also add fuel by acting out their anger. It really is okay to be angry at someone and because of bad happenings. You are allowed to have internal anger and instead of suppressing it, you should express your anger in a healthy manner. I don’t want to get too detailed with the healthy ways of expressing anger. Just know there is a right way and a wrong way to do so. At the end of the day and when it’s all said and done, even if your anger was expressed negatively towards someone, humble yourself and apologize for whatever it is that now may have caused them to get angry- now two or more individuals are angry and there is no resolve. “Let not the sun go down on your wrath.”
But acting out in the wrong manner and going to bed with a troubled and disheveled spirit profits you nothing. One wrong outburst or act done in anger will more than likely cause the offender to regret something that can never be undone.
A perfect example is found in Genesis 34. A story that could’ve, would’ve, should’ve turned out beautiful, became a horrific end. A man named Shechem was very indeed interested in Dinah, Jacob’s and Leah’s daughter. He violated and defiled her, but fell in love with her. Shechem knew that by sleeping with Dinah, that she would be considered his wife. Now, I can’t say whether or not he initially had good intentions and I want to believe that he did have noble intentions but was afraid to ask Jacob for Dinah’s hand in marriage because these were two different nationalities with very different customs, but I can only think of the various reasons he went about dealing with Dinah in this manner. The story does not include Dinah’s thoughts or wishes of the matter. Did she also love and want marriage? Did she herself feel she was violated and wanted nothing to do with Shechem?
Shechem and his father wanted to make peace treaties between their nation and the Isrealites and even humbled themselves into circumcision. Shechem offered a gift and dowry amount based on the choosing of Jacob but whether Dinah wanted the marriage or not, her brothers, Levi and Simeon took it upon themselves to act vengeance upon Shechem and his people (Hivites). The question is asked, were they justified due to the fact their sister was violated? Well, they were justified in anger, but not for the sin they allowed their anger to cause. Their vengeance also was stemmed in pride, which helped them justify mass murder.
Jacob was gravely disappointed with their actions and knew that this had made a rift between the nation of Isreal and other nations who could have provided peaceful interactions and forms of alliances. Later, Jacob reveals what Simeon’s and Levi’s anger caused.
Genesis 49: 5-7:
“Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations; O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall; cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.“
PURE GOLD 