“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” Ephesians 4
We’re angry. Or maybe we should be. 
Those are the things that I am hearing right now. I’m hearing that we’re angry: we’re angry about racism, we’re angry about looting, we’re angry about injustice, we’re angry about rights, we’re angry about masks, we’re angry that life isn’t back to normal yet, we’re angry about economic downturn, we’re angry about….almost anything.
Or maybe we should be. Maybe you’re not angry, and maybe you’re hearing people in your ear or on your feeds telling you that you need to get more angry. Are you wondering right now what is wrong with you? Are you wondering what you’re missing if you’re not angry at the right stuff? Should you be more angry? Or people just telling you that? Or are you really suffering from a blind spot that has left you apathetic? It is a worthwhile consideration.
Paul gives us some stuff to consider with our anger. Paul tells us to be angry. There is stuff in this world to be angry about. Christians get angry. We get angry about sin, our own and others’. We get angry about injustice and unrighteousness.
But Paul also tells us what to do with our anger. There’s a lot in our cultural narrative right now that tells us that anger in itself is an immutable righteousness. But Paul qualifies our anger. He says, “be angry and do not sin.” He tells us not to let the sun go down on our anger. He tells us to put away falsehood and speak with our neighbor. Lay it out. Say “I’m angry about this.” If you don’t, you give opportunity to the devil. Opportunity to take pot shots at each other in passive aggressive social media posts. Opportunity to hold grudges in our hearts that our neighbor might even be clueless about. Opportunity for all kinds of demonic in-roads.
That doesn’t mean reconciliation comes right away. Systems need to change. Problems need to be dealt with that might take longer than a day. Your anger is necessary for the day, but it need not take more than the day. Let your anger take the day, let your reconciliation take the month.
Remember that there is One whose anger was kindled. His anger over your sin was more righteous than anything you’ve ever been angry about. And His anger was kindled…for a day…a great terrible day when the Father’s righteous anger was showered down upon the Son on the Cross. On that day, He routed the opportunity of the devil.
Your lack of anger, your mishandling of anger, and your creation of opportunity for Satan – it has been forgiven in Christ’s reception of holy anger and reconciliation has been made with the Father. Let us go now, as reconciled people and be about the business of anger and reconciliation ourselves.