Warpath
It was a beautiful, crisp fall day. The fragrance of adventure drifted freely through the air. My friends and I caught its alluring scent and jumped into our vehicle.
There were plans to be slayed at the Renaissance festival. We would feast on the rarest of delicacies! Buy the sharpest of swords! We sped toward unparalleled greatness.
With a single detour, the festival grounds were finally approaching. Laughter filled the vehicle as time passed. The joking! The camaraderie! Best friends forever…until we realized we had been traveling in the wrong direction—for hours.
The air grew stale, and an argument erupted. We feasted on our anger. We wielded the sharpest of words. Yes, we eventually arrived, but the day had been ruined by our attitudes.
Scripture has a great deal to say about anger (Ephesians 4:26–27). God Himself experiences anger—those Israelites just loved their idols (pick any book in the Old Testament). Jesus flipped tables (Matthew 21:12). Kings, prophets, and priests also had moments of outrage.
There are times when anger is necessary. Across the world, injustice harms the innocent and oppresses the vulnerable. As Christians, we must learn to be filled with righteous anger—an anger that changes the environment for Christ.
In LOTKR chapter 1 (Night Sweats), Hadwyn awakens from a nightmare to find trolls attacking his party. He cuts through the enemy with decisive force. He spares one troll only to send a message to Sahib: “We are coming.”
That is the posture we must take when confronting the enemy. Whether we are battling the flesh or resisting spiritual forces, Scripture affirms righteous anger. But like Hadwyn, we must keep our anger aimed at the enemy and his schemes. Remind him you are coming. As for one another—be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry (James 1:19–20).
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:12
