Good Leaders Do Get Angry

Exodus 4:13-14a  But Moses said, "Oh Lord, please send someone else to do it." Then the Lord's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite?"     Matthew 21:12  Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves

Peace, love, unity. These are some of the desirables of the Christian faith. They are what Christians should strive for at home, at work, and at church. They are noble goals that are hard to achieve for any length of time. Some can enjoy them for longer periods than others. However, in both the business arena and in ministry, there is something that eventually will get in the way of your enjoying these goals. That something is us—humans.

 

Our natural tendency is to break union with each other, creating an environment that no one wants. In these times of conflict, what is a Christian leader to do? Do we, in the name of peace, retreat? Or should we express ourselves with anger?

Two Kinds of Anger

 

Our scripture today expresses two kinds of events that caused our Lord to "burn" and physically demonstrate His anger.

 

1. Natural relational behavior

2. Sin in the church

 

Our first scripture example is quite simple. Most of us can relate by remembering a subordinate who was just being stubborn. Moses was stubborn, dishing out excuses to his Lord and frustrating Him to the point that he "burned" with anger. I am not sure if Moses felt this anger, but I suspect he might have, since he finally did as he was told.

 I can remember a time a few months ago when my anger got the attention of some of my employees. However, the following meeting, in which we all fleshed out how to prevent the cause from happening again, went well.

Do I wish they could have just listened and followed the directions of my calm voice? Of course I do! However, man's indifference does get in the way, and this time it needed to be addressed boldly and with a certain level of force. Do I believe I behaved within the bounds of my faith in Jesus? Yes I do. Can your anger be righteously used? Yes it can.

God’s Righteous Anger

 

Let us not forget our ultimate review on judgment day. I don't read anything that would lead me to believe that God will send unbelievers to hell in a calm, sweet voice. The puritan preacher Jonathan Edwards’ most famous sermon was entitled "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” While we experience propitiation (God's wrath against us being averted or satisfied), it does not mean that His original anger was unrighteous, nor should we believe that all of our anger is unrighteous. In fact, there are times when it is MORE righteous to express our anger than to sit quietly, thinking that peace is more important.

 

An example of this is found in Jeremiah. As you know, Jeremiah was known as the wailing prophet, constantly prophesying against the sins of the Israelites and their priests. The priests were letting the sin of idolatry to co-exist with their Godly culture in the name of "keeping the peace.” The Lord told Jeremiah what He thought of this behavior Jeremiah 6:13: 

"From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. They dress the wound of my people as though they were not serious. Peace, peace, they say, when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all: they do not even know how to blush. So they will be brought down when I punish them.”

 

Friends, we need to be upset with sin in the church, even to the point of anger, if need be.

 

In summary, there is a thing called "righteous anger.” However, before you go out and chew someone out, be careful. You might want to wait to read part two!