Two Different Prescriptions

One of the many controversies this past year involved the use of a curiously named drug, Ivermectin, to treat Covid symptoms. A few months ago, many of us had never heard of Ivermectin. Then we heard it was a wonder drug. Then we heard it was for horses. Back and forth, the confusing messages crossed our social media, until the missing link in the argument was finally articulated for those of us who were confused: There are two forms of Ivermectin. One form of Ivermectin, toxic for humans, has been used for decades as an animal dewormer. The other form of Ivermectin earned a Nobel Prize in 2015 for its use in treating malaria in humans. Mystery solved!

Anger has a similar mystery. We know that a fleshly temper is toxic, but we also know that Jesus toppled tables in the Temple. We read that Elijah slew 450 prophets of Baal after the contest at Mount Carmel; yet, when Moses struck a rock twice, he lost entrance into Canaan. So is anger right or wrong? The correct answer is: “Yes!” There are actually two forms of anger.

The Bible draws a distinction between works of the flesh and works of the Spirit. Like our Ivermectin prescriptions, we need to use the correct form of anger, or the consequences can be deadly. Here are three ways to tell which prescription of anger we may be using:

•Fleshly anger is triggered by an offense toward self, but righteous indignation is triggered by an offense toward God.

King Saul was always motivated by his lust for power in the kingdom. His radar was keenly aware of any threat to his throne. Defending his own interests was his singular mission for twenty years, culminating with that ultimate act of selfishness: suicide.

In contrast, we read that David had nothing to protect but the name of God, as his testimony to Goliath demonstrates: “Thou comest to me with sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.”

•Fleshly anger destroys the innocent, but righteous indignation destroys the sinful.

Proverbs 14:1 warns us that “the foolish woman plucketh (her house) down with her own hands.” How much pain has been carried into adulthood because of that “plucking!” Spiritual counselors across the globe could testify that much of their time is spent helping to heal the wounds left by angry words from a parent, sometimes decades earlier.

When Jesus purged the Temple, greedy money-changers scurried away as He overturned tables and reclaimed His Father’s house as a “house of prayer.” But on a different occasion, children sang to Jesus at the Temple and clamored to be the one to sit on His lap. The money-changers ran from Jesus, and the children came to Him.

When we are angry, we ought to ask ourselves, “Who is afraid of me?” Innocent and vulnerable people are never afraid of righteous indignation, but they are keenly aware of what kind of person can harm them. If my spouse and children are afraid to confess their mistakes to me; if people seem to cower when I am around them; if weaker people always feel they must agree with me—my anger is fleshly.

•Fleshly anger protects itself, but righteous indignation is self-sacrificing.

When Peter struck Malchus’ ear on that dark night in Gethsemane, he may have assumed his heart was filled with righteous indignation. After all, he was defending Jesus! But Jesus was not fooled. And later that same night, Peter’s heart was finally revealed to himself, when he fled danger and lied repeatedly about his friendship with Jesus. It took a stray rooster to remind Peter that Jesus had known his heart all along.

Thankfully, Peter’s bitter tears on that awful night led to repentance. This same Peter, who once wielded a sword at Malchus, eventually would be crucified himself, willing to die for the Savior he had once denied. For all of his faults and fleshly enterprises on full display throughout the Gospels, Peter rises as a hero of our faith for how he allowed Christ to transform him and use him.

Do you struggle with fleshly anger? Peter’s testimony gives hope to each of us who see that dark spot in our own character. Jesus can change us from fleshly motivation to righteous indignation; from protecting self to dying to self. The Spirit-filled life is readily available to each of us, through dependence on Christ instead of dependence on our flesh.

Maybe like Peter, we need some bitter tears and a long conversation with Jesus.