Anger.
“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” Matthew 5:23-24
As a Christian, Christ was the ultimate sacrifice. And if I want to have that sacrifice in my body (the Temple of God) aren’t I always at the altar to offer each second’s devotion to God?
That being said, I should constantly be aware of those who have something against me. Not so I can be against them too, but so I can be reconciled with them.
Reconcile- Restore friendly relations between; Cause to coexist in harmony
You can be friendly without being someone’s friend. Even if you and that person would ‘never be friends’, you can still be on friendly terms.
Why is this so vital?
Proverbs 20:3 “Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.”
If you insist on fighting with someone, physically or mentally, you are considered a fool.
Proverbs 14:29 “People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.”
But why is it considered foolish?
Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”
In conclusion, be reconciled with those angry with you and vice versa because without reconciliation, you cannot forgive, and if you cannot forgive, you let Satan plant a time bomb in your heart.
Forgiveness is not condoning the ‘wrong-doer’s’ actions. Forgiveness is for the forgiver. Unforgiveness is a chain that links you to the oppressor, no matter how far they are from you. Your mood depends on whether or not you’re thinking of them at the moment. With forgiveness, your mood isn’t directly correlated to one person; your mood becomes independent from them.
Go and be reconciled.
