Love Isn't Easily Angered

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is not easily angered.  

Notice how it doesn't say love is never angry.  It says love isn't easily angered. Anger doesn't have to be a bad thing.  Some great things have come from angry people like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Martin Luther, and the maker TOMS shoes.  These people aren't remembered for their anger, but rather what they did with it.  Dr. King used his anger to fight for equal rights, Martin Luther used his anger to start the Protestant Church, and the maker of TOMS shoes has given hundreds of thousands of shoes to kids that are normally barefoot.

For me personally, I'm pretty cool, calm, and collected.  I'm pretty laid back, don't get mad about much and I do my best to never overreact.  But when I hear stories about husbands and fathers that are either mistreating their wives or kids or simply not stepping up and leading their families it infuriates me!  Passive husbands that don't passionately love and pursue their wives and absent fathers that leave single moms, schools, churches, peers, and TV to raise their kids because they aren't man enough to take responsibility absolutely make my blood boil!  (My heart rate is going up as I type this!)  Instead of telling these men what I think about them or trying to pick a fight with them, I use my anger to write this blog about what I am learning in the areas of husbandry and fatherhood.  I teach a class at church about how to become men of courage.  I make every effort to model for my high school students at school what it looks like to be a husband and a father.  And with each negative story I hear about a failing father or husband it refuels my passion for my wife and son that much more.  (Okay.  That was a rant.  Deep breath.)

Unfortunately many people use their anger to hurt others, to belittle, to feel powerful, or to break relationships.  It's pretty obvious that love doesn't do any of those things.  Love isn't disrespectful.  Love doesn't cuss people out.  Love doesn't give the bird in traffic.  Love isn't rude to people over the phone...even to customer service.  Love doesn't physically or verbally abuse.  Love doesn't intimidate or harass.  Yet people do these things every single day to people, even people that they say they "love".  No wonder people don't know what true love is.

Love listens and responds respectfully.  Love thinks before it speaks or acts.  Love is approachable, understanding, and welcoming.  Love may get angry but it uses anger to make a positive difference in the world.

Love never fails...we as people do.

What makes you angry?  How do you use your anger?