I attended a church a few years ago that underwent a great deal of changes within a short amount of time. Our pastor retired after many years and our new pastor was very shy and quiet so he didn't talk much. At the time I didn't understand why he couldn't remember who I was. I attended every church function, volunteered for every committee, and helped with vacation Bible School every year. I remember walking past him one day and saying "hello" and he didn't even look at me! I was flat out mad! I decided at that moment that I was no longer going to attend this church. And I didn't. My feelings were hurt and I felt they were validated by the fact that I wasn't patted on the back and instantly recognized by the pastor or anybody else at our church.
I remember sitting in a meeting before this all happened and somebody announced that we needed a chairperson for a committee but nobody wanted to do it, so I piped up and said "I know Billy will be mad, but I will do it." Then just shrugged and let out an "oh me" sigh. Wow! What a joy I must have been to those around me at that moment. Nobody likes a half-hearted leader or a whiny cry baby that has to have her way and I was both!
First of all, we shouldn't do anything for our own glory. My focus was not on what the problem actually was which was allowing God to do the work. I wanted to do everything and I wanted people to notice that I was there and important and did ALL of these things and say "Oh Samantha, thank you so much for being so awesome and making our church so magnificent!" That was never going to happen! God doesn't help those who try to help themselves to His glory! Our church wasn't any better because of anything I did especially with the attitude that I possessed.
Secondly, my pastor had a million things on his mind. He was dedicated to the congregation and had quite a few things going on in his personal life, not to mention the fact that he was Pastoring a new church in a new town! How selfish could I have been to think that what I was doing was anymore important than what he or any other member was doing? I tried to make coming to church about me. The last time I checked, the Bible didn't even mention my name as the reason that people came to worship!
Lastly and most importantly, my reaction to my feelings getting hurt didn't qualify as "righteous anger", it was most certainly bad behavior! When I think about righteous anger I think about Jesus in the Temple. Matthew 21:11-13 says, "Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” His anger was not only "righteous", it was necessary. He was defending His father's temple and was standing up for what was right and honorable.
Our actions should be no different than those of Jesus. He never once needed or wanted the applause of man, or Sadducees, or Pharisees, or any other religious leader. Think before you act. Better yet, pray before you act. Before performing any task ask yourself: Is this for God's glory or am I looking for approval from man? Is my behavior a reaction to my feelings being hurt or a result of my bad behavior or am I defending something that God considers Holy? More times than not, the answer is the previous and not the latter.
Think about it!
Are you struggling with a recent incident that left you hurt or angry? If you stepped back from the situation, could you see your part in it? Was your behavior righteous? Did your behavior honor your testimony? Did it show Christ's love?
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