An Opportunity for the Devil

 June 14, 2024

Friday

Ephesians 4:26–27 (NASB 2020) ²⁶ Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and do not give the devil an opportunity.

Anger is an emotion that has caused sin that has dire consequences. It can go from zero to light speed in an instant. It can take control of the person if he or she lets it. Raging on, it will lead people to do things they know to be wrong. Extreme violence has often occurred when people are angry.

Anger comes from an outside source. The word for "be angry" in the scripture above is a passive imperative. Imperative generally means that it is a command but the passive means that it is more received that committed. There are things that will legitimately anger you. There may be an injustice that brings you to anger. For example there may be a woman laughed at where you work because she can't afford the clothes that others have. There may be a man who takes credit for the work you have done. Each of these may make you angry. Be angry about these things.

The problem is not specifically with anger. It is letting the anger move you to sin. One of those ways it to linger in your anger. This is when you go over the offense that caused anger and talk about it frequently. I knew a  man who bragged often. I never heard him claim fault. He probably had a very low self-esteem. He wanted to be a big man. He didn't get a job that he applied for and blamed another man for a bad reference. He had no evidence that the other man gave him a bad reference but he told everyone how despicable this man was. His anger turned into hate. His heart became very bitter. He was mean to everyone after that. This was the sin that consumed him.

So, don't let your anger continue. While anger may ramp up very rapidly, it goes down very slowly. The devil uses the opportunity to tempt the angry person to do something he or she wouldn't normally do during such anger. The devil is always seeking someone to devour. Uncontrollable anger gives him all the green lights he needs to ruin a person's life.

Occasionally, one of my grandchildren has a melt down. The root cause may be hunger or being tired but it comes out as anger because of something not received. Uncontrollable anger is not rational. One granddaughter wanted her daddy to sit beside her in the van as we went for lunch but her seat was at the back of the van. She demanded he sit beside her even though she knew he had to drive. At three years of age this can be expected. It won't be at thirty. It may have taken twenty minutes to calm her down enough for us to make the journey. After she ate, she was fine. Lots of people get "hangry." Recognizing this in yourself may keep you out of a lot of trouble.

I have gotten angry many times while riding my bicycle to and from work. Mostly, it is from people who are either inconsiderate or simply don't care if they hit me. I have hit the brakes so hard that I have slid to within inches of a car more times than I can count. I have reacted in anger with the drivers. I realized that this was not the way to handle it and have a process that I ride by most of the time now. I tell myself that I am an ambassador for Christ before I go on the ride. This doesn't keep me safe. It doesn't keep me from getting angry. It keeps me from sinning and giving the devil an opportunity.

Don't let anger take over. When it does, the devil seizes the opportunity.