Jesus is humble, gentle, and kind. As scripture assures us, his yoke is easy and his burden is light. He invites the weary and burdened to come to him for support and comfort (Matthew 11:28–32). Yet Jesus is also a consuming fire who sets us straight when we are out of line. Sometimes Jesus puts us in our place -- not in spite of the fact that he loves us, but because he loves us. Jesus got angry.

Appalled by corrupt worship practices and attitudes, Jesus flipped over tables in the temple (Matthew 21:12–13). The Son of God had what looked like a tantrum -- in church. Can you imagine?

He called people names like hypocrites and whitewashed tombs and children of the devil -- especially when they used religion to bully, control, and abuse people (Matthew 23:13–39). When Peter, one of his closest friends, tempted him to pursue comfort over faithfulness and power over self-sacrifice, Jesus got so worked up that he called Peter “Satan” (Matthew 16:23).

Peering into the tomb of his friend Lazarus, Jesus got madder than a rodeo bull. Death, the wages of sin and the last enemy of those who have been redeemed from sin, infuriated Jesus (John 11:17–44). When Jesus returns again to make all things new, he will bring his recompense with him, to repay Satan and bullies and perpetrators of injustice for their evil (Revelation 22:12).

In these and other instances, Jesus shows that it is possible, even Godlike, for him to get steaming mad. He shows that it is possible to lose our cool without losing our character. Sometimes anger, when released from a place of health and love, is a furious force that accomplishes constructive and life-giving outcomes. . . . 

Jesus gave his life for us, he prayed that we would be forgiven -- and he did so not when we were at our best, but when we were at our worst. Not when we were compassionate and gentle and kind, but when we were mean and belligerent and cruel. While we were still sinners -- denying, insulting, ignoring, abusing and crucifying him -- that is when Christ died for us.

This is the power of a gentle answer turning away wrath. This is the power that enables us to expel the poison of toxic anger and to, instead, give expression to anger motivated and moved by love.