Tested In A Sea Of Rage

Christian Vocabulary 101

For years we have been hearing about “road rage,” people getting so irritated at drivers they fly into a rage resulting in the flashing of headlights, the flashing of obscene (and all-too-familiar) gestures, and even the flashing of weapons. In recent years we have even heard of “hallway rage” erupting at crowded suburban schools resulting in fights between students enraged at being elbowed or stepped on while trying to navigate through crowds.

Lately the news has reported numerous incidents of raging behavior far from the interstates and clogged city streets at rush hour. A basketball fan throws beer at a player. The enraged player responds by climbing into the stands. A Houston man reportedly threatens to kill a restaurant manager when his sandwich was served cold. A Florida woman is charged with targeting two teenagers and running over them with her SUV. The boys lost control of a golf ball they were bouncing to one another. The errant ball bounced right into the woman’s vehicle. No damage was done. An apology was offered. But the enraged woman ran into and over the boys leaving them seriously injured.

And there was the story in The Boston Herald about the man who used a carving knife to stab two relatives who criticized his table manners at their Thanksgiving meal. Speaking of the holiday spirit, Fox News reported a man in Louisiana was so disappointed in the Christmas gifts he received from his family that he fired a shotgun at them.

As Christians living in this sea of rage we need to brush up on some important (but often forgotten) vocabulary words crucial to living like Jesus —forbearance, forgiveness, patience, kindness, gentleness. Be honest, are there times when your reaction to daily frustrations is closer to rage than forbearance? Let’s have a quick review of some important material.

“A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.”
Proverbs 19:11

“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14

Yes, there will be a test on this material! Test after test after test. . . .

— Bob Clark

1/11/05