Tuesday: What To Do With Anger
Text: When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. 7 I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them. (Nehemiah 5: 6-7, NIV)
Teach: It isn’t wrong to get angry. Jesus saw what was going on in the Temple and in the gospels we find him overturning the money changers tables and kicking everybody out. Paul warns the Ephesians that they are to be angry but not give into sin (Eph. 5:26). Anger at injustice that moves us to action demonstrates our love for God.
Take: Some translations say that Nehemiah “consulted himself.” As he pondered what was going on and how that made him feel and what he needed to do about it, Nehemiah put his head and heart together and sought God’s solutions to the situation.
Task: Have you been moved by injustice around you? Have you pondered what God would have you do? The building of the wall didn’t create the problems as much as it revealed them. What has God been revealing to you?
Pot of Manna 