JustifiedSample

Every hero, no matter how great they are, gets tired. They're tired of people trying to hurt their loved ones or tired of protecting the same city on a never-ending loop. They might even begin to lose control and start using their powers to get revenge. Whenever this happens, they end up looking more like the villains they want to defeat than the heroes they're called to be.

This isn't just a problem for superheroes in comic books. We do this, too. Sometimes, we hurt others after being hurt ourselves. We feel like we want others to experience the same pain we've felt, and then we'll give into those feelings. But we've seen enough comic book movies to know acting out of our own hurt never leads to a happy ending.

In a letter to the Ephesians, Paul says something incredible — in your anger, do not sin. Paul recognizes and validates the thing we all feel — anger — but then he goes a step further by sharing how we should respond. He is speaking from experience as a guy whose anger once led him to horrific choices in persecuting the first Christians.

When you're angry, you're allowed to feel those things, but think about how you might respond. Will your actions hurt someone? Will they escalate what's happening? If so, consider choosing something different. Try to act in a way that respects the relationship and work to repair or restore what you have. When you're angry, don't get hurtful.