RELATIONSHIP 30 AUGUST 2025 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition You may have heard of the popular video game, and subsequent movie, “Angry Birds.” In the game players use a slingshot to launch various birds with unique abilities to strike down structures built by green pigs to destroy them and rescue their eggs. In the movie, Red is the temperamental desert cardinal and the leader of the flock. He is bossy, strict, egotistic and poor at stress and anger management. He has a very short temper and the problems that go with it. However, he is perhaps the most dedicated to protecting the eggs from being captured by the pigs. Anger is portrayed as an emotion that he cannot escape, and that is what makes us laugh at him and his activities. What is anger? But that is as far as it gets. Anger is not a funny emotion. Anger is defined by the American Psychological Association as “an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong.” Anger can be both good and bad. Anger can be good when is shows up as righteous indignation, but it can be bad when it is uncontrolled rage. Anger is an emotion that builds up quickly and explodes either inward or outward. Both are dangerous and destructive reactions that can grow in scope over time. You see, anger has a clock. An anger event can happen in a moment, in a flash. Or it can also last a lifetime. An anger event can leave a huge swath of emotionally scorched earth, or it can drain the life of the owner that clings to it indefinitely. Either way anger is very destructive to the individual that harbors it or the surrounding audience. Anger is the only sin that consumes its victim: you can go very fast in a burst or slowly in a seething burn over time. Anger in the Bible In the Bible, we find a story of anger with far-reaching consequences in 2 Samuel 13. This story could be the plot for the next Turkish telenovela! It has lust, rape, murder, lying, cheating, conniving, princes and princess, a king, and all taking place in the royal palace! You really could not make this stuff up, and it’s in the Bible — all in one chapter! Head prince Amnon, the oldest prince and heir to the throne of King David, falls in lust for his half sister Tamar. He uses a ruse to get her alone in his house and then proceeds to rape her. Tamar, who is Absalom’s sister (he is third in line for the throne), is ashamed into oblivion. Absalom plans a meticulous murder of Amnon that takes place over 24 months. When the time is right, he murders Amnon and flees. Meanwhile, King David does nothing — nothing about Amnon’s rape, nothing about Tamar’s shaming, nothing about Absalom’s murder. Surprisingly, he does nothing. Remember that the story features anger as the main theme. Amnon rapes Tamar and is subsequently angry at her. Tamar is extremely angry at Amnon and goes into seclusion at her brother Absalom’s house and into a bitter swirl of depression (which is anger turned inward). Absalom gets really angry at Amnon and ultimately murders him after having seethed for months. And David gets exceedingly angry at them all, but he does nothing. What anger does to us This passage in 2 Samuel reminds us of the things that anger does in us: 1. It can turn our perspective around completely like it did Amnon; 2. It can turn us inward into depression like it did Tamar; 3. It can turn to murder like it did in Absalom; 4. It can turn into nothingness, like it did with David. How does anger affect you? Which type of person are you when you get angry? So, what does this mean for my family? For my marriage? Whatever you do, watch out for anger! Anger can sink your boat so fast you won’t even have time to call for help! Anger has long lasting consequences. Anger starts a chain reaction that you cannot stop. How to reverse the effects of anger Finding the answer to remedy the effects and results of anger is very difficult. The only actions that can reverse the effects of anger are love and forgiveness. The perverted actions resulting from anger must be forgiven. For forgiveness to occur, each wrong must be atoned for before God and man. The problem with David and his family is that they did not seek forgiveness. They never got to experience peace. When you are angry, do you seek forgiveness? Jesus taught his disciples, in Matthew 6, how to pray. Notice that in the Lord’s Prayer there is a petition there for forgiveness. “[A]nd forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” (Matthew 6:12. NLT) This means that we are to forgive anger regardless of our reaction. This point was very important for Jesus. Most of us have memorized the Lord’s Prayer as it is found in Matthew 6:9-13. We can recite it at the drop of a hat. However, we certainly have forgotten verses 14 and 15 of that same passage! “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15. NLT) So, please, forgive! Yes, I know that you got really angry because so-and-so did x to you and that the culprit more than deserved the fruits of your wrath. I feel your pain! Trust me, I do! But Jesus wanted his followers to go beyond the situation into another world. A world where love trumps hate, where forgiveness trumps anger, and where the Father takes you in His arms and forgives you as you have forgiven. So forgive them. I promise your reward will be out of this world! Dr. David Lema is Coordinator of Hispanic Outreach and Instruction for Relate Well Live Well. This article includes quotes from his book “Seven Sins that Sink Your Family…And How to Overcome Them.” If you would like to purchase the book, visit rwlw.org. - Dr. David Lema - Coordinator of Hispanic Outreach, Relate Well Live Well Angry Birds Three Angry Birds - Bomb, Red and Chuck models to promote the movie
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjE2MjU=