Reflect today on the right thing that God may want to put in your heart

Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those selling oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers sitting there. He made a whip out of the ropes and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and the oxen, and overturned the money changers and overturned their tables, and to those selling the doves he said, “Take these away from here, and stop making my father's house a market. "John 2: 13b-16

Wow, Jesus was angry. He drove the money changers from the temple with a whip and overturned their tables while berating them. It must have been a good scene.

The key here is that we need to understand what kind of "anger" Jesus had. Normally when we talk about anger we mean a passion that is out of control and, in fact, controls us. It's the loss of control and it's a shame. But this is not the anger of Jesus.

Obviously, Jesus was perfect in every way, so we must be very careful not to equate his anger with our normal experience of anger. Yes, it was a passion for Him, but it was different from what we normally experience. His anger was an anger that stemmed from his perfect love.

In the case of Jesus, it was his love for the sinner and His desire for their repentance that guided His passion. His anger was directed against the sin they were absorbed into and he deliberately and intentionally attacked the evil he saw. Yes, this may have been shocking to those who witnessed it, but in that situation it was the most effective way for Him to call them to repentance.

Sometimes we will find that we too must be angry with sin. But be careful! It is very easy for us to use this example of Jesus to justify losing control of ourselves and entering into the sin of anger. Right anger, as Jesus manifested, will always leave a sense of peace and love for those who are reprimanded. There will also be an immediate willingness to forgive when true contrition is felt.

Reflect today on the righteous anger that God may want to put in your heart at times. Again, be careful to discern it correctly. Don't be fooled by this passion. Rather, allow God's love for others to be the driving force and allow a holy hatred of sin to guide you to act holy and righteous.

Lord, help me to cultivate in my heart the holy and righteous anger that You want me to have. Help me discern between what is sinful and what is right. May this passion and all my passion always be directed to the achievement of Your holy will. Jesus I believe in you.