Anger

 Jesus says in Matthew 5 "But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment;"

When we are angry at others, especially when we hold it in, the anger hurts us more than it does them. When we hold a grudge against another, it hurts us far more than it does them. When we fail to forgive another, it hurts us far more than it does them.

It is common today to be angry at banks, bussiness, government and other vague concepts. We tend to blame "them" for all our problems. This hurts us worse than it does others. In the past week there has been a man who flew his plane into an office building filled with people helping to make sure the laws we have all agreed to live by were fairly enforced. He destoryed several lives, including his own. The IRS - the institution he was angry with - was not severly affected. His life and several individuals lives were destroyed. I woman walked into a room of fellow workers and shot several of them because she was angry with the way the university system was working. She destroyed her life and the lives of severl compatriots. The university will not change the way it operates, except to try to increase security.

Anger at others whether vague "bigness" or individuals, destorys us and often has only a small effect on them. And if that is true in this life, Jesus makes it abundantly clear it is much more true in His kingdom. So, "be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift."