The Hard Sayings: Murder

Has this ever happened to you? Your colleague belittles you in front of your coworkers, and you silently plot how to get even. A driver rudely cuts you off on the freeway, and you hit the accelerator to show them what you think of their driving. Your parents made mistakes that have hurt you, and you’ve spent your adult life being angry over how they treated you. Anger can be incredibly corrosive when we let it simmer in our hearts. It can eat away at marriages and friendships. It can ruin a career in one foolish outburst. And it can damage our witness as believers. Jesus warns us that if it is left unchecked, anger can escalate into name-calling, hostility, and even murder. But even if we think that we are obeying God’s law against murder by not killing, Jesus tells us that the root of murder lies in our heart if we let anger fester. So how do we deal with anger? Jesus calls us to be active in seeking reconciliation with our neighbors. Perhaps we’ve wronged someone else. Perhaps they’ve wronged us. Regardless, Jesus calls us to take it upon ourselves to make things right again. Doing so follows the example of Jesus: “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:10). In grasping God's love for us while we were still enemies, it should melt the anger in our hearts towards others. With whom do you need to make peace today? Let us be reconciled to God! Then, may we be reconciled to one another!  Grace & Peace, Pastor Aaron