Where's the person who hasn't at some time or other exploded with what he/she thought was "righteous" indignation? And then came to realize that some "self" was woven in! Rather humbling, isn't it? In fact, you can get grey with what you think are sanctified years and still make a fool of yourself.
A prime example is the Twelve, on whose heads had been laid in ordination none other than the Hands that had made the world. On the eve of Christ's crucifixion they were condemning Mary Magdalene who had been moved by the Holy Spirit Himself to do what she did (Matt. 26:6-10). Thus they made fools of themselves. They exploded with indignation which they thought was of the Lord, when in fact it was of Judas Iscariot's inspiration (John 12:4).
They didn't know what would later be written by an unknown contemporary in his Letter to the Ephesians: "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (4:31, 32). But having been educated in the personal presence of Christ for some three years, should they not have known? Common sense should have taught them. But when you get angry, you are often bereft of it. The disciples, even if righteously angry at Mary's supposed extravagance, should have been "kind" and "tender-hearted" in rebuking her. They weren't. Thus they set themselves up for the most stinging rebuke Jesus ever gave them.
In the previous verse, Paul says that our emotional outbursts "grieve ... the Holy Spirit of God, whereby [we] are sealed unto the day of redemption." In other words, there is a grave possibility that we may negatively "seal" our eternal destiny by one of these sudden unsanctified outbursts.
Time to fall on our knees and beg Mary's Defender for a new heart that can be cleansed--down into its buried unconscious roots.
Just remember that the cleansing process may take longer than a day; it's a discipline that takes time, but is no less certain if you are sincere in asking for it.
Copyright © 2009 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.------------------------------
