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Season 3 Ep 10 - Making Art: The 7 Deadly Sins- Anger
136 Plays2 years ago
Mentioned in this episode:
Trusting God in All the Things
Season 1 Overcoming Anger Podcast Episode
How to spot unrighteous anger:
- Explosive words
- Emotional outburst
- Withdrawal
- Gossip
- Irritability
- Throwing objects
- Sulking
- Pouting
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This podcast is produced and edited by Angie Elkins Media, Inc.
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Transcript
Introduction to Rootleg Faith Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Hi, I'm Ruth Schwenk and I'm so thrilled you're listening in with us at Rootleg Faith. It is our deepest desire to encourage and equip men and women to be rooted in God's Word, transformed by the love of Jesus and moved by His mission and the power of the Holy Spirit. Nothing is more important.
New Book Announcement: 'Trusting God in All the Things'
00:00:17
Speaker
Well, before we dive into back into our series today, I have to mention some exciting news. And that is that I have a brand new devotional launching today. Yes, today. Congratulations, honey. Yes. With my dear, dear friend, Karen Eamon, and it's called trusting God in all the things, 90 devotions for finding peace in your every day.
00:00:40
Speaker
So I just encourage you to check that out. Celebrate with us today. It's sold wherever books are sold. So Amazon, Barnes and Noble. I don't even know all the places. I don't know, but I give it two thumbs up. Yeah, that's what they always write. Wherever books are sold and I'm like, okay, well, let's think about that.
00:01:00
Speaker
like books a million. I guess that's another one. There's lots of places books are sold. So you can find trusting God in all the things, 90 devotions for finding peace in your every day, uh, anywhere books are sold. And we'll be sure to put a link in the show notes to the brand new devotional. And I hope you'll celebrate with us. I'm actually doing a giveaway on my Instagram as well. So if you want to head on over there at Ruth Schwank, you'll be able to check it out there.
Lent Series: Exploring the Seven Deadly Sins
00:01:25
Speaker
So today we are continuing our series called Making Art and it's a series we've been doing through the season of Lent and we're exploring the seven deadly sins and why pursuing holiness or virtue actually frees us to love God and others as we should.
00:01:41
Speaker
And as we've said from the beginning, Lent is a season where we're intentionally drawing closer to Jesus to be more like Jesus. And so we hope and pray that today's episode continues to help in that
Understanding Anger as a Deadly Sin
00:01:55
Speaker
journey. And we're diving into one of those seven deadly sins, which if you haven't listened to the past episodes, be sure to check those out.
00:02:04
Speaker
We've covered a lot of ground in this series. It's hard to believe we're almost to Easter, almost done with the series. I know. We have covered a lot of ground and have had some really great feedback so far on this series. So today we are diving into the topic of anger. I think we'll just maybe stay away from this one. So this is going to be really good and we can't wait for you to join in the conversation. So let's go.
00:02:28
Speaker
Yeah, just as a reminder, we have been in this series now talking about the life that God created us for and how we were made to live in relationship with God. We're made to live in communion or friendship with Him and how God wants to give us life and He wants to set us free from the power of sin and just how sin is everything that's dead and dying in our life. And this life of holiness
00:02:51
Speaker
or righteousness or walking in virtue is meant to enable us to love God and to love others well, you know, to give the best of who we are to other people.
Roots and Prevalence of Anger in Society
00:03:05
Speaker
And so, you know, anger is something in our culture, especially, I mean, obviously anger is we're going to talk about is one of the oldest sins. You know, it's the first sin, I think, if I'm remembering correctly.
00:03:16
Speaker
But it's the first sin recorded outside of the garden in Genesis 4. We'll read that passage in a minute. So this is an old sin. But you know, you think about the culture that we're living in right now, really since the pandemic and just everything that's transpired over the last couple of years. And it just feels like our culture is on edge. People are on edge with one another. There's a lot of anger.
00:03:36
Speaker
towards one another and relationships have really disintegrated or can disintegrate very easily. And so you see explosions of anger all the time. Some of those are rather comical. You just think about your own life and times where you've gotten really upset and you're just later on, you're like, what in the world was I doing? Yeah, what was wrong? What was wrong with me? That was really silly. Or you see a four-year-old just have a complete meltdown in Walmart and you're like, oh, that's me. Thank you, Lord. You just gave me a picture of what I look like.
00:04:03
Speaker
And so some of those anger induced meltdowns are comical and yet most of them as we just think about our own life or you think about the life of other people, I mean it's serious. And you think about the damage that can be done between a parent and a child perhaps because of anger and a marriage and a family or in a relationship or even within
Contrasting Anger with Meekness
00:04:25
Speaker
a church. I mean just anger can do all sorts of devastating things relationally.
00:04:31
Speaker
And so we want to look today briefly at this next deadly sin and just talk a little bit about what that looks like, how we can overcome it and live the contrasting or the positive virtue, which we'll talk just briefly towards the end and look at meekness and how meekness is really that positive. We said all throughout this series that there is the deadly sin, there's the vice, but on the positive side, there's always a corresponding virtue.
00:04:56
Speaker
Honey, that's what I usually say. I know. I'm stealing it from you today because you got to talk a lot at the beginning. So I figured I'd just, you know, steal your thunder today. And so that that positive side to anger is is meekness. That's so interesting. So let's look at Genesis four. I mentioned just a couple of minutes ago that, you know, anger is the oldest sin, you know, the first sin recorded for us outside of the garden. And so maybe we can start with that story of Cain and Abel there in Genesis chapter four.
00:05:23
Speaker
Yeah, I'll read that. Genesis 4, 1 through 7 says, Adam made love to his wife Eve and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man. Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering, fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.
00:05:50
Speaker
The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor, so Cain was very angry and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door. It desires to have you, but you must rule over it.
00:06:16
Speaker
Yeah, we've said this already, but again, anger is one of the oldest of the deadly sins. And you just see that. In our culture, you see the sin of anger, you see how people wrestle with that, you see the violence or the oppression that is the result of anger. And anger is not just an American problem, it's a human problem. So when you just think about the sin of anger, we're talking about every culture, every race, every era.
00:06:40
Speaker
I mean, it has really wrestled with anger because, again, anger is something that resides in the human heart. And not only is anger one of the oldest of the seven deadly sins, but it's also one of the most dangerous. I mean, if you were to keep reading in that passage that you just read, Genesis 4,
00:06:59
Speaker
verses 8 and 9, you see the devastating consequence of that. Verse 8 says, now Cain said to his brother Abel, let's go out into the field. And while they're in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and he killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, where is your brother Abel? And he responds by saying, I don't know, am I my brother's keeper? And so you see not only one of the oldest of the seven deadly sins, but you see how dangerous, how destructive it is in this
00:07:25
Speaker
this biblical example, the first chapter outside of the garden. Genesis one, Genesis two, of course, is the story of creation. Genesis three is the fall. And so Genesis four is this record of what life looks like outside of the garden when humanity has really turned against God. And you see the presence and power of anger already in the biblical narrative.
Righteous vs. Unrighteous Anger
00:07:46
Speaker
Well, and I think you see this jealousy really that turns into anger, which is very interesting. You know, that's really where it's starting because Cain is, he's upset. I mean, don't you see the offering I brought? You know, I mean that in essence, that's what he's thinking. You know, Lord, I brought this offering. Why is it not as good as Abel's? And so he's, he's angry about that.
00:08:08
Speaker
He's angry at God. He's jealous with his brother. Right. He's upset that he's not getting God's approval like he wants or something that he wants that he's not getting. You know, it's interesting in the New Testament, you know, of course, you know, Matthew five through seven is that Sermon on the Mount. And what Jesus does is he, you know, he takes the law in any, you know, whether he's talking about adultery or, you know, here he's talking about, you know, anger and murder. And he's he's really talking about, you know, this is bigger than just breaking commandments. You know, this goes deeper that
00:08:38
Speaker
Um, this begins in the human heart. And so in Matthew five, you know, verse 21, we read, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, you shall not murder and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, Raka is answerable to the court. And anyone who says you fool will be in danger.
00:09:01
Speaker
of the fire of hell. And so Jesus makes it very clear that murder, violence, it all begins in the heart. It begins with anger. And so Jesus is saying really murder begins in the heart. And so we're to crucify that.
00:09:17
Speaker
Yeah, well, in that story of Cain and Abel, that's exactly what happens. I mean, it's so clear that it begins in the heart of, like we said, this jealousy and then... James chapter four is another great biblical example of that, where James is writing to that church and he's dealing with conflict they're having, arguing they're having, and he essentially is saying, listen, the reason you...
00:09:42
Speaker
You're attacking one another as you covet. There's things that you want that you're not getting. And so you have these desires, but they're fallen desires. And so there's things that you're after that you want. And those desires have become demands. And when you're not getting what it is that you want, then you begin to punish one another. And so there's this anger that literally was leading some.
00:10:03
Speaker
into even physical violence with one another. And so again, another example of just how old anger is and how dangerous it can be and how it really does begin in the human heart. And we need God's grace. We need the power of his spirit to deal with that.
Managing Unrighteous Anger
00:10:19
Speaker
And we'll go on obviously and talk about anger and I know like how we deal with anger But I think that a good thing to talk about right now because I I can I've heard this question so many times and and honestly There's times that I've wondered like is it okay to be angry in that situation? You know what I mean? The question is always like
00:10:39
Speaker
Well, I should be or some, some people are like, well, I, I have the right to be angry about that. And so I think that this would be a really good place to park for a minute is just where, when is it okay to get angry? Is there ever a time to get angry? What does that look like?
00:10:55
Speaker
I was pretty upset when Michigan got beat the other night, you know, when they got knocked out of the out of the tournament. Yeah, I'm sorry. We should have won that game. We were shooting terrible. That is bad. But anyway, you know, you bring up a great point because I think that that there is biblically a distinction that should be made between righteous anger and unrighteous anger. And, you know, as you read the Bible, you begin to discover that there's lots of times where God gets angry and he, you know, he reveals his wrath or exercises his wrath.
00:11:25
Speaker
And, you know, we've talked about anger in the past and maybe in season one. And so that would be some great episode. I think we did two episodes on overcoming anger. But I remember in one of those episodes, we talked about how, you know, God's anger is always an expression of what it is that he loves. And so when you think about God's righteous anger, he gets upset at the right things or for the right reasons.
00:11:48
Speaker
And so God gets angry, for example, at impurity because he's a God of purity. God gets angry at falsehood because he's a God of truth. Those kinds of things. So we see God demonstrating his anger or his wrath in response or as an expression of
00:12:08
Speaker
what it is that he delights in, what it is that he wants. And so you think about that as a parent maybe when you think about your own kids and somebody that has threatened
Impact of Anger on Children and Families
00:12:20
Speaker
your child or done something that might put your child in danger, something that they've said that was cruel or unjust. And the natural response for you as a parent is to get angry at that, right? I mean, controlled anger.
00:12:35
Speaker
But there is a righteous anger that is demonstrated because you're wanting to protect your child who maybe was innocent and was being unfairly treated. It's not a perfect analogy, but that idea that when God gets angry, He always gets angry for the right reasons.
00:12:53
Speaker
And so as we think about that distinction then in the Bible, just in our own life, is that there is a kind of righteous anger. If we never got angry, that would be a bad thing. It would expose something in our own heart that is missing. Like we ought to get angry at things that are unjust or not right. Now it doesn't give us license to go do what we want and say what we want.
00:13:16
Speaker
and we're still called to behave in a Christ-like manner and to be humble and to be gentle and to be controlled, as we'll talk about in a minute, being meek, that's anger under control. But that is a righteous anger. So for example, in Ephesians chapter four, verse 31, where Paul's writing to the church in Ephesus, he says, get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander along with every form of malice. And then he'll also say in Ephesians, in your anger, do not sin.
00:13:45
Speaker
And so there is a kind of anger that the Christian can have or should have. Where they're not sinning. And so really what we want to be careful of is that unrighteous anger. That's what Paul's talking about here in Ephesians 4, verse 31. Or 1 Timothy 2, 8 is another example where Paul writing to young Timothy there says, therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. And so that kind of unrighteous anger is the kind of anger we're to put off.
00:14:13
Speaker
to crucify to get rid of so that we might walk in Christ likeness.
Meekness: The Virtue Opposing Anger
00:14:18
Speaker
Well, and we'll talk more about this in a few minutes, like you said, but I think in our righteous anger, we need to be careful not to sin. Right. Absolutely. With the way we act. And that's really, really important because it's one thing to for it to be righteous anger and for that anger to be validated. It's a whole nother. It's a whole nother thing the way we actually that manifests itself.
00:14:42
Speaker
Well, and I think that's an excellent point. Like you think about, again, just, I mean, the culture we're living in, and there's an awful lot just, you know, in terms of being a Christian, you look at the church and different things that have happened within the church at large. And, you know, there's a lot of things to be disappointed about, things to be concerned about or to be angry about. But you also see sometimes with social media, with the Internet, just how people go about or how Christians go about
00:15:05
Speaker
voicing that frustration, that anger, that disappointment. And so even in situations where somebody is in the wrong or a church is in the wrong or a leader is in the wrong, I think we need to be really careful as followers of Jesus to even then, even as we conduct ourselves online,
00:15:23
Speaker
And maybe it's the writing of a blog post or a Facebook status or Instagram, but we just need to be really careful that in our anger we don't sin and that we still are writing or talking or presenting ourselves in a way that is honorable, that is holy, that is righteous. And so I think you're exactly right.
00:15:42
Speaker
Yeah, so here's a few ways to see, I think, if that anger is maybe unrighteous, like how do we identify that? I'm so glad I don't wrestle with any of these. I'm just gonna take a drink here and sit back and relax. Right, exactly. While you just expose everybody else's heart, except for mine.
00:15:59
Speaker
No, so here's some signs of unrighteous anger, and I think this is a list that is helpful for all of us because I don't know about you, but I identify with, well, not all of these, but some of them. Explosive words, emotional outbursts, that's like the four-year-old you said at the grocery store, and then we're like, oh wait, I do that too.
00:16:20
Speaker
emotional outbursts, withdrawal, ooh. That's a funny one, withdrawal. We don't think about that as a form of anger. Honey, I wish that this was not on the list. Well, are you guilty of this, honey? Yes, and I'm feeling really convicted right now. Yeah, some people, they punish somebody else with their silence.
00:16:38
Speaker
And it's so different than the emotional outbursts, right? Or the nasty words. And so a lot of times somebody can express anger by withdrawal. They stop calling or texting and they're really punishing somebody else with their silence, with their distance.
00:16:56
Speaker
Gossip, irritability, punishing with silence. Well, I guess that's similar to withdrawal. Throwing objects, cutting off a relationship or sulking or pouting. Now, I think when I was younger, you know, when we were younger. Is this like last month or a couple years ago? Like when we were first married, like the pouting. I probably did that a little bit, but then. I don't remember you doing that, honey. You've been pretty like Jesus since I know you.
00:17:25
Speaker
Well, so I feel like that's a really helpful list and we'll be sure that that list is in the show notes because I think that's good for us. Honestly, I might write this list down and keep it out. It's a good reminder. Like, oh, wait a minute. Sometimes we don't realize that anger is creeping in because when I think about anger, I'm thinking about yelling. Yeah, you think about somebody that's really hot-headed and they just explode with...
00:17:49
Speaker
with wild, you know, crazy words or, you know, throw an object. But, you know, just thinking about, like, as a parent, I know we have a lot of parents that listen to the podcast or, you know, maybe with young kids. And I just think it's so important to get a hold of that anger, to allow God, to ask God, to beg God.
00:18:06
Speaker
for the grace and the spirit of God to change you in this area, because I just think anger can be so destructive in a family and in a kid's heart and mind. And so I think it's so important that you think about the idea of just ways that kids, really young kids in particular, will reciprocate our emotional well-being. And so you just think about the emotional well-being of the parent gets reflected and then reciprocated in the child. And so if you have a parent, for example, that's really angry,
00:18:37
Speaker
and just sort of, you know, can fly off the handle. That does something to a child. They grow up not sure. They feel like they're walking on eggshells, you know, with a parent. And so that sticks with them or can if that's a consistent habit and kind of culture within the home. And so, I mean, we just really need to be careful of just our own spiritual, emotional wellbeing, you know, in this area because it can leave
00:19:03
Speaker
an imprint, just think about the analogy of wet cement. And you think about when your kids are really young, it's like you're leaving an imprint. And the older they get, that cement begins to dry. Not that God can ever change that, or you can't redeem that. So I don't want to sound discouraging for parents. But I just think it's that important, especially when kids are younger, to be creating a home that's calm and stable. And again, honoring of God.
00:19:31
Speaker
It creates so much safety and security in a child. And that's why, honestly, this whole series is so important. Because we always, as parents, have to be working on ourselves. Our lives, obviously, will not look perfect. But I think when our children see us continuing to work on ourselves, that has an impact on them.
00:19:52
Speaker
And it has an impact on who they become as they grow up. And an interesting thing is that a lot of times we're also teaching our kids how to act in situations. And so if we're flying off the handle all the time,
00:20:09
Speaker
We're that's what we're teaching them. You know what I mean? And so it's always keeping those things in mind as well. And I think all of this whole series that we've been doing, making art with our lives, you know, it's it's first and foremost, first and foremost, us working on ourselves, because that really is what's going to impact
Self-Examination and Personal Growth
00:20:27
Speaker
our kids. They're watching. And again, I just I can't say enough. It's not going to look perfect, but it's that day by day journey of growing closer to Jesus and then our kids watching us in that. That's so important.
00:20:38
Speaker
We won't name the child, but I remember one of our kids. What was it used to say to them about raining in the, what would you, I can't remember how you would say it. It was about- Oh, it was the analogy of a horse and their emotions and how you have rains with a horse. And if you were riding a horse and your horse
00:20:56
Speaker
starting to get out of control. Got out of control, was running away like your emotions can run away. You would use your reins to kind of pull back and control the horse. And I would always say, rain it. You know, like you're raining in the horse. That was my reminder to them. That was good, honey. Which we all need that reminder at times. I would always feel like, yeah, you should do that, kids. Then I would think, oh, I need to do that. Right.
00:21:16
Speaker
So let's move on. So the vice is anger and the virtue then, like you already mentioned, honey, is meekness, which I love that. That's really a powerful picture. Well, I think, you know, Matthew chapter five, verse five, again, that Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is talking about what it looks like to live. You know, when God reigns and rules in your life, this is what life in the kingdom looks like. And he starts out, you know, blessed are the poor in spirit.
00:21:43
Speaker
But verse five, Jesus is talking about blessed are the, he's talking about meekness and he says, blessed are the meek for they'll inherit the earth. And people have probably heard that idea that meekness is not weakness, that really meekness is that idea of really, it's being under control. It's not in any way a weakness, but to be meek means to be gentle.
00:22:09
Speaker
It's not given to sort of this irrational, uncontrollable anger. You know, anger just breeds more anger and so meekness really is, I think in part, learning to trust God and not having to right every wrong. You know, it's being gentle, it's putting others at ease. You think about the angry person again, when somebody's angry, you have a friend that's angry or a parent that's angry, you're always on eggshells because you're not sure
00:22:35
Speaker
how they're going to respond or what they're going to say or what they're going to do. And nobody wants to be around that person. And I've been that person throughout my life. And I cringe sometimes thinking about how in different scenarios that was me. And yet meekness is not that. Meekness, again, is a gentleness. It's being under control. And gentleness always puts others at ease.
00:22:56
Speaker
So in our righteous anger, we respond with meekness as well. And I think that's what we were getting at earlier as we would get to this point to understand that we can have righteous anger, but we can also sin in our righteous anger. The righteous anger that is controlled is a meek righteous anger that has a gentleness about it, that has a gentle confidence probably. Let me think about the life of it. I mean, Jesus was meek.
00:23:24
Speaker
Nobody's pushing Jesus around. There is a strength about Jesus. There is a power about Jesus. There is a majesty and a greatness about him. And yet there is a tenderness about him. There's a gentleness about him. And so Jesus is meek. I mean, nobody's pushing him around. He's King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He's a suffering servant.
00:23:42
Speaker
But there are times where he gets angry, but it's never an out-of-control, irrational, sinful anger. And so he is meekness for us to model. And again, when he does get angry, it's always a righteous anger. It's a controlled anger. And so maybe we can close just the last couple of minutes, just talking briefly then about how to be overcome anger. What are some really helpful questions
00:24:09
Speaker
that maybe somebody can ask themselves when they do get angry. And so just a couple questions maybe for reflection. Again, I would just encourage anybody listening to this to go back. And if they haven't already listened to those two episodes that we did, I think in season one, talking about overcoming anger. And I think we do talk more at length there.
00:24:27
Speaker
about some of these questions. But let's hit just a couple of those really quickly as we close. And these questions, I've heard you share these questions a few times, honey, and probably sermons. And I just, oh, they're so good and so helpful for us to reflect on
00:24:42
Speaker
Because I think in our anger, like a lot of times you said later on, we're like, oh my word, that was so silly, what was I thinking? You know what I mean? And so these questions really are helpful to understand and get to the root of the issue, because that's the bottom line. There's something else going on there. If I'm angry, there's some. So here's a few questions. What am I not getting that I believe I really need, want, or deserve?
00:25:09
Speaker
What do I have that I am fearful of losing? And do I really believe that God is at work in and through my life? Those are some really helpful questions to ask yourself. Again, I would just encourage somebody to really maybe get alone and to take those questions and really reflect upon their own life. We've talked about that daily examine before and just that spiritual practice of reviewing your day and rejoicing over God's grace in your day, but also repenting
00:25:37
Speaker
over some of those places where we fail to radiate the love of God in our life and then requesting God's grace as we move into a new day. And these would be some great questions as a part of maybe that practice, that daily exam or examination of conscience to really examine our struggle with anger and to kind of probe a little bit deeper.
00:25:55
Speaker
with some of those questions and really to ask God by his grace to give us victory over those areas where we just know we keep failing in this area. So that we might again put to death everything that's dead and dying in our life, put to death those sins that are robbing us of being able to love God as we should and love others as we should. We want to give the best of who we are to other people and in walking in meekness will enable us to do that where anger does not.
00:26:21
Speaker
And that's why we're doing this series making art and going through these seven deadly sins because it's so important that we that we take a look at these areas in our lives and we learn to draw closer to Jesus as we kind of put to death some of those things that we may be struggling with so
00:26:40
Speaker
Well, friend, we're so grateful that you've joined us. I hope that you're enjoying this series making art. We will make sure that we put some links to the past episodes of this series so you can be sure to listen if you've missed any of those. If we haven't met yet, we want to get to know you. So be sure to join us on Instagram at Patrick W. Schwank and at Ruth Schwank or on Facebook. And don't forget, everything we talked about will be at rootlegfaith.com.
00:27:08
Speaker
Okay friend, well we will chat soon and we hope you have the best week.