.... righteous anger....

when in the temple courts in Jerusalem, not long before Jesus was going to be betrayed... we see a side of Jesus that most people today kind of like to overlook.... an angry Jesus... whipping cattle and sheep, overturning tables and scattering the money of the money lenders and merchants that had put up their businesses in the temple court...
He was angry... angry about what these people were doing to the house of His Father... ( you can read about it in John 2:14-16) ... does that fit in with the loving, giving His life for sinners, full of mercy and grace Jesus???

yes it does... He was not just angry because something wasn't going along with His selfish plans... He wasn't easily annoyed just because something was getting on His nerves.... remember, He was without sin... but He was angry... and He took action... He rectified what was so blatantly wrong yet no one realized it or did anything about it....
the disrespect and total disregard of who His Father is, defiling His Holy name by making the temple, the House of the Lord into a market... busy, dirty and just so carnal... it didn't sit right with the Son of God...
He knew that this was against what His Father deserved and wanted... so He stepped in... He took care of it... He was angered... righteous anger.... displayed by God Himself...

I am angry right now... and it is not just being annoyed... it is righteous anger... I am angry about the total disregard of God's laws... do not lie.... do not commit adultery.... love your neighbour as yourself...
be holy as I am holy... this is what God tells us.... and yet.... total disregard... total disobedience... no matter how it affects those that are innocent and hurt on such a deep level... how can someone do that???
it happens all the time... it is happening again... not to me... but it brings it all up again... and it makes me angry... I know that had any of the money lenders come to Jesus and asked Him to forgive, He would have forgiven them.... but He did step in and rectified the situation first...

all I can say is... STEP in Jesus.... do not let those that so totally disregard your commands and the feelings of their family get away with it... overturn their tables and show them your righteous anger...
and then... forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing... as will we... as I have... but Lord... it needs to end...

the world has minimized it and accepted it... you are not.... you know what it does to the abandoned... you see our tears, you hear our screams...... you know what it does to the much needed sense of security those children have a right to have.... your heart is broken and you are angry.... in your mercy Lord please make this right.......