ANGER MANAGEMENT PART 2- CATALYST YOUTH- November 9, 2018

Last week we started our two-part series called ANGER MANAGEMENT by talking about a guy who's super power is to turn into a monster whenever he get's angry. The Incredible Hulk is the only superhero I'm aware of who HATES his power and is constantly looking for a cure. Why? He doesn't like losing control? He doesn't like hurting people. He doesn't like becoming a monster. All of us can relate a bit to the Hulk, because we've all lost our tempers and said and done things that have got us into trouble or said something that we really regret when we were angry.

While last week we looked at the DARK SIDE of anger and the importance of controlling our tempers, this week, we focused on the GOOD SIDE of anger. Ephesians 4:26 reminds us "In your anger, do not sin". Did you know that anger isn't a bad thing? It's really what we say or do WITH our anger that matters. In fact, anger can actually be a REALLY good thing!

1. GOD GETS ANGRY

There are some people who have this picture of God ALWAYS being angry with people, but that's not true. The Bible does tell us, however, that God HATES evil. He's angry when he sees people making choices that hurt or mistreat others. Anytime we see cases where God brings judgement on people in the Bible, it's a response to serious depravity and evil, not because he likes to punish people for fun.

In Matthew 21:12-13 we read about how Jesus made a whip out of cords, overturned tables, and threw a bunch of people out of the temple. While some think this is a moment where Jesus lost control and "Hulked out", Jesus wasn't beating or abusing people here. In reality, the people he drove out of the temple were ripping people off and taking advantage of the poor. Jesus was standing up against injustice. He told them, "My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers!"

In Matthew 18:6, Jesus had some pretty harsh words for people who hurt, mislead, or abuse children. He told the crowd, "It would be better for that person to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea". This reminds us that God is angry when children are being mistreated and abused! God hates bullying!

Those kinds of things should make US angry too. When we see terrorism or violence on the news, that should make us angry. When we see someone being bullied or made fun of, that should make us angry. When we learn about people who don't have access to clean water or have enough food to feed their families, that should make us angry! It's ok to be angry about the things that God is angry about.

2. ANGER SHOULD NEVER ATTACK SOMEONE ELSE

If you're attacking someone else in your anger, then you're doing it wrong. Even if you think they might deserve it. Our culture today has a real problem with anger and mean-ness. Just hop on social media and you'll see what I mean. There are people receiving vile messages and death threats just because they made a movie that someone didn't like! The popular thing to do these days is to hate Donald Trump. I hear kids and teens every week saying things like they wish Trump would drop dead. And I'm in Canada. Despite what someone has done or how much you feel they deserve it, our anger should NEVER lead us to ridicule others. It should never lead us to get revenge. It should never lead us to sin. By the way, revenge is different than justice. It's ok to want (and help) a bully get punished for what they've done (and hopefully stop bullying because of it). It's quite another thing to gossip about that person or want to hurt them back.

In Matthew 5:22 Jesus says, "But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell".

This reminds us that God takes the way we treat others REALLY seriously.

3. ANGER SHOULD PROPEL US TO DO GOOD

Psalm 82:3-4 says, "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."

Anger should inspire us to help people or to bring about some kind of positive change in our world! If you see someone being bullied or mistreated, you should stand up for them and help ensure that it doesn't keep happening! If you're passionate about animals being abused or mistreated, you might give money towards an organization that rescues animals and finds them a home! If homelessness makes you angry, you might prepare a meal or bake cookies to give to a shelter. One of the reasons why we have an offering at CATALYST is so that we can respond to our anger in a way that helps others! Last year, our teens were most passionate about providing emergency water to families in need.

I shared with the teens about Bob Goff. (That's him taking the selfie above). Bob wrote a book called "EVERYBODY, ALWAYS." that I HIGHLY recommend. Bob is like Indiana Jones! God uses him to do some AMAZING things. I won't spoil anything-- but Bob was angry about some evil and injustice that was happening in Uganda...and his anger led him to save HUNDREDS of lives and to bring evil people to justice. We can't all be Bob Goffs. Some of our teens don't have the money or resources to give in the ways that they would like to, but ALL of us can take our anger over evil, injustice, poverty, bullying etc... and use it to make a positive difference. One example is when we go to the Capital City Mission every year to serve cookies and sandwiches to people who don't have family or are homeless. Another example would be to donate a few cans of food to FAMSAC or to bring a couple of bucks for our youth offering. When you practice doing positive things with your anger NOW, you'll find that when you're older and have money and a career, you'll be doing the same kind of thing on a much LARGER scale! Anger should propel us to do good.

DISCUSSION FOR HOME

1. Talk about some things that are happening in our world that makes your teen (or your family) GOOD AND ANGRY? What are some needs that you're passionate about?

2. This Christmas, challenges yourselves to do something to make a difference as a response to your anger. One thing our family does is that every year, we let our kids choose a gift in the World Vision Gift Catalogue. We'll get those gifts (everything from providing a family with a stove to buying chickens for someone to start a farm) and even make Christmas ornaments on our tree that represent those gifts. If you don't have the money to give, think about how you can volunteer as a family.

3. Pray that God would help us when we're angry-- that we would respond in ways that are wise and in ways that don't hurt others. Pray that God would help us to be people who take our anger and do something positive with it.