SEARCHLIGHT
What can “tick” you off?
SCRIPTURE
During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became very angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king. Esther 2: 21-23 NIV
SPOTLIGHT
Anger is a very common sin. If it goes unrestrained, it can destroy peace in a home, ruin a friendship, and incite people to violence and crime. Domestic violence regularly occurs. Road rage is very prevalent. At the time of this writing, the internet reported 4 serious road rage occurrences within 48 hours that ended in severe violence or fatality.
People are not checking their anger. Moses was not allowed to enter the Promise Land because of his anger. [Numbers 20] Jonah’s character was marred by his anger. [Jonah 4:1,2] Alexander the Great, who was very much in control, lost control in the heat of a moment and killed his childhood friend. When Emperor Julius Caesar was provoked, he used to repeat the whole Roman alphabet before he allowed himself to speak.
Anger can destroy you. In our Scripture focus today, two men, named Bigthana and Teresh, became incited with anger. King Xerxes did something [we do not know what it was he did] which led them to become so out of control that they plotted to assassinate him. They paid for their rage by not being caged but cruelly killed.
What can set you off? Is it a person in the “15 items or less checkout line” who has 25 items to purchase? Could it be a driver honking his horn and giving you a rude gesture as he drives by? Might it be your cranky, whiny children? Could it be your teenager who lies to you? Might it be a person who pulls in front of you into a parking spot? Could it be your boss who chews you out in front of fellow employees? Might it even be an answered prayer? Many situations can make us angry.
There are 2 things we learn from today’s Bible story. Anger is when you allow an offense to blow you up. Someone offends you. An unchecked offense can grow to a boiling point. We do not know what the King did or said that set this raging fire in these 2 guards. Whatever it was, they should not have allowed their anger to burn and churn. Instead, they should have said, “Don’t let it bother you… The king is a busy man… Get over it!” But they did not do that. Instead, they let the offense go unchecked which encouraged each other to become very angry.
Secondly, anger that is allowed to fester can lead to rage. Rage is similar to letting a hungry lion out of a cage. Anything can happen. Anger can lead to terrible and unthinkable behavior. In this case, their rage led them towards murder. These two guards planned the King’s assassination.
AVOID POISONING YOUR MIND! Check your emotions. Don’t allow an offense to incite you. Don’t live by the rule that it is time for payback. Don’t take revenge. If you have to speak, do what the Bible says: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” [Proverbs 15:1] Someone said “The trouble with letting off steam – it only gets you into more hot water.… Don’t give anyone a piece of your mind - you need it all yourself... Before you give somebody a piece of your mind, be sure you can get by with what you have left.”
Cast down your imaginations. The Bible says, “…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” [2 Corinthians 10:5] Anger weakens you. It puts you at a disadvantage. You are no longer in control of common sense. Don’t let your emotions drive your thoughts to wander and become wild. When anger becomes rage, it is overwhelming. Rage produces strife. Turn away from it. Walk away. Someone said, “It is hard to get ahead if you don’t have one.” People often justify their anger. It has been wisely said, “Too often we seek “justice” for just us.” Before you seek “justice”, you need to express kindness and forgiveness.
SOMETHING TO DO
Check out the following Scriptures in Proverbs 15:1, 21:14, 22:24, 27:4, 29:8, and 30:33.
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I do not want my mind to become poisoned by people who offend me. Empower me by the Holy Spirit to be filled with love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. AMEN [Galatians 5:22-23]