I've spent a lot of time on the road lately ... traveling interstates during holiday weekends ... navigating narrow, congested city streets during rush hour. My wife would prefer not to ride with me because I have a tendency to grow impassioned about the "inconsiderateness" of other drivers. I mean, I think a car is a car, not a phone booth. When the light turns green, you ought to step on the accelerator--sooner than later. You should know where you're going instead of slowing down to read every street sign you pass. And more than one car ought to be able to make it through a traffic light.
Since she has to ride with me, Dianne has taken to shaming me. "Did you ever think of what's going on in that driver's life at the moment?" Or she tries to encourage reason, "Frustration doesn't get you there any sooner."
Dianne has only been moderately successful in defanging my fierce anger.
Unfortunately when you someone wrongs us -- not only do we feel angry, but the more we dwell on it, the angrier we get. And let the offender repeat, we might simply explode as that anger grows more and more fierce.
This passage always fascinates me. People like to the characterize the God of the Old Testament as an angry God.; but as I read the text--his fierce compassion cries out and grips him. His love is so great that even when he sees us rebelling against him, it is the desire of his heart to show mercy.
Because he is God, not man--the Holy One in our midst. Maybe we would be able to manage our anger better if we were more like the Holy One in our midst.
(C) 2011 by Stephen L Dunn
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