By David ReayTuesday 31 Aug 2021LifeWords DevotionalsDevotionsReading Time: 2 minutes
Don’t hang out with angry people; don’t keep company with hotheads. Bad temper is contagious— don’t get infected. (THE MESSAGE)
It appears there are some people just itching to write angry letters to a newspaper. Depending on the newspaper, the anger can come from the right or the left of the political spectrum. Such letters usually focus on blaming some individual or body for what they perceive as going wrong in the world.
We have to say at the outset that some anger is legitimate, and the freedom to express such anger in black and white is also legitimate….as long as it doesn’t degenerate into malice or libel. Getting our names in print can be a safe outlet for our pent up feelings and our genuine grievances.
The problem comes when some individuals regularly spout their frustrations in a way that suggests they are basically angry people. They appear to have an angry spirit. Nothing pleases them, someone must always be to blame for their own discontent. They are unhappy and someone else is responsible.
Best to steer clear of such attitudes and such people. Their dark pall of negativity can cast a shadow over our lives, giving us a distorted view of reality. Just as we take steps to avoid a virus, take steps to avoid being infected by such negativity.
We certainly can get angry about some things and express it safely. But being constantly angry, eternally frustrated, is a danger sign. Writing a letter to the editor may get things off our chest for a while, but it may not go to the heart of what is bugging us. Anger can be a proper reaction to an unsatisfactory situation beyond oneself. An angry mindset on the other hand indicates an unsatisfactory situation within oneself.
Blessings,
David