Editorial July 29, 1996 Issue

Anger? Healing? Which will you choose?

Barbara M. Vining

An unpleasant circumstance confronts you. Will you be angry over it? Or will you be a healer? These are not the questions usually posed when it comes to the subject of anger. After all, don't circumstances themselves—even without our consent—have the power to make us angry? Haven't we all found ourselves thinking, even saying, "That makes me so angry!" From this generally accepted conclusion that circumstances will make us angry arise the questions most often posed for public consideration: What's the best way to manage anger? Is it better for our health to express anger or to repress it? Is there a constructive, rather than a destructive, outlet for anger?

In the book of Proverbs in the Bible we read, "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city" (16:32).

In the course of being "slow to anger," we can quiet our thought and take our direction from God, universal divine Love. We can cast anger out instead of being made angry by error, and become the humble servants of Love. This choice is in itself an act of unselfed love; we must want to be healed and to be the healing representative of divine Love more than we want our own way. This Christly mental stance constitutes real might.

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