When Is It Okay to Get Angry? Understanding Jesus's Righteous Anger
When Is It Okay to Get Angry? Understanding Jesus's Righteous Anger
Anger is a natural emotion that we all experience, but in today's world, we've become desensitized to many things that should make us angry. From injustice to suffering, we scroll past images of pain without feeling anything. But what does Jesus's example teach us about righteous anger?
How Have We Become Desensitized to Injustice?
We live in a world bombarded by 24-hour news cycles and social media that constantly show us suffering. After seeing so many school shootings, wars, poverty, and exploitation, we've reached a point where these things don't affect us anymore. We've lost our natural emotional response to injustice.
According to Robin Dunbar's research, humans can only genuinely care about approximately 12 people, know about 40, and recognize about 120. Beyond that, our brains simply shut down. We physically cannot keep up with caring about more people than that.
This explains why we can drive past homeless people, hear about children being exploited in sweatshops, or see refugees fleeing violence without feeling anything. We've been overexposed to the point of emotional numbness.
What Makes Jesus's Anger Different from Ours?
Jesus's anger was different from our human outbursts. His anger:
- Purifies instead of pitching fits
- Heals instead of hitting the roof
- Seasons instead of seeing red
- Preserves instead of popping off
When Jesus got angry, it turned corruption into correction, injustice into compassionate action, hypocrisy into authenticity, and led people from doubt to true faith.
What Made Jesus Angry in the Bible?
In Luke 10, we find the famous story of the Good Samaritan. It begins with an expert in religious law asking Jesus, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" After the expert correctly identifies loving God and loving your neighbor as the key commandments, he asks, "And who is my neighbor?"
This question reveals his heart. He wasn't asking for clarification—he was looking for limitations. He wanted Jesus to tell him who he didn't have to love. This limited view of neighborly love is what got Jesus "salty."
The Story Jesus Told in Response
Jesus tells the story of a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho (a dangerous 17-mile journey with a 3,300-foot drop in elevation) who is attacked by robbers and left half-dead on the side of the road.
A priest comes by and crosses to the other side of the road—which was only about six feet wide at that time. He was close enough to hear the man's pleas for help but chose to ignore him. Then a Levite does the same thing, even though Levites were specifically commanded to help dying people.
Finally, a Samaritan—someone from a group hated by Jews—stops to help. He bandages the man's wounds, takes him to an inn, pays for his care, and promises to return to cover any additional expenses.
What Does This Story Teach Us About Righteous Anger?
Jesus's story reveals several things that should make us righteously angry:
1. Religious People Who Ignore Suffering
The priest and Levite—religious leaders—chose to walk past someone in desperate need. They had excuses: staying ritually clean, being too busy, or fearing for their safety. But Jesus makes it clear that none of these excuses are valid when someone is suffering.
2. Divisions That Prevent Compassion
The expert in the law couldn't even bring himself to say "Samaritan" when identifying who acted as a neighbor. His prejudice was so deep that he referred to him as "the one who had mercy."
Jesus gets angry when we create divisions in the church based on politics, race, age, or other factors. The church should be the most unified place, not the most divided.
3. Christians Who Don't Act Differently Than Non-Christians
A recent Barna study found no significant differences between practicing Christians and non-Christians regarding compassion or mercy. This should make us angry! Throughout history, Christians ran toward plague victims and started hospitals out of compassion. Today, we often run away from those who need us most.
How Can We Channel Righteous Anger Like Jesus Did?
Jesus's anger always led to action. Here's how we can follow His example:
1. Ask: "Is My Anger Shaped by God's Heart or My News Feed?"
Before getting angry, ask yourself: "Does God want me to be upset about this? Is this an injustice to Him?" Jesus never weaponized His anger against sinners. His anger was always directed at restoring relationships and God's order.
2. Move Toward Those Society Rejects
Jesus spent time with those on the margins—lepers, tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners. He would likely be found today under interstate overpasses with the homeless, in rehab clinics, or in places where people are far from God.
3. Turn Anger into Mercy and Action
James 2:14 asks, "What good is it if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?" If we see someone in need and say "go in peace, keep warm and well fed" but do nothing about their physical needs, our faith is useless.
Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to be the salt of the earth that Jesus called you to be. Salt adds flavor and preserves—it makes things better. Ask yourself:
- When was the last time I had dinner with someone society might reject?
- How can I escape indifference and show compassion to someone this week?
- What specific action can I take to help someone relationally, tangibly, or spiritually?
Choose one person or situation where you can show mercy this week. It might be as simple as rolling down your window when someone asks for help and saying, "I don't have money for you, but what I do have is the love of Jesus."
Remember, we are hardwired for justice, but our anger should lead to compassion and action, not hatred or division. When we see the world through Jesus's eyes, we'll be moved to act with His heart—bringing flavor to a bland world and hope to places of injustice.