How Does Intense Anger Interfere with Hearing?

Can you imagine being so angry that it’s impossible to listen to reason or do what is appropriate? Jonah, the Old Testament prophet, became angry with God for not destroying the wicked city of Nineveh. He mistakenly believed God loved Nineveh and hated him, which prevented him from receiving God’s blessing and reward.

When the people of Nineveh repented, they were given a new perspective on the meaning of life. That’s what the Prodigal Son experienced in a filthy pigpen. He realized that his mistakes and bad choices were responsible for his suffering and pain but that his father would be merciful and forgiving.

Jonah mistakenly believed he had lost God’s favor when God saved the people of Nineveh. The older brother of the Prodigal Son felt he had lost his father’s favor when his father gave a party for his rebellious brother. His anger prevented him from knowing the meaning of forgiveness. What a foolish mistake!                       

___________ 

I correct and punish everyone I love. So make up your minds to turn away from your sins. …If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

~Revelation 3:19,23 Contemporary English Version

___________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Is It Possible to Correct Mistakes in Perception?

Mistakes are one of those pesky problems that must be tolerated in others as well as within oneself.  A mistake can be viewed as a learning experience, as an opportunity to correct inappropriate attitudes and refrain from behaviors that have become the source of problems and troubles. Mistakes create embarrassment, frustration, and shame.

When the Prodigal Son returned home a complete failure, his father gave a party to celebrate his son’s safe arrival. His older brother was angry and resentful. He refused to be consoled because he felt betrayed by the father whom he believed showed favoritism and preference for this younger, rebellious brother.

This was a mistake in perception. The father demonstrated exactly what God’s attitude is toward us when we return home to his mercy, unfailing love, and forgiveness. Some people mistakenly believe their sins are so egregious God could never forgive and cleanse them. God’s grace is greater than all our sins.  

___________

…The more we see our sinfulness, the more we see God’s abounding grace forgiving us.

~Romans 5:20 The Living Bible

___________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week. 

Are You Looking for a Fresh Start?

Are you looking for new beginnings in some area of your life? When the Prodigal Son committed himself to a different lifestyle, he sensed this was his only option and that the opportunity otherwise would be lost forever. Do you need to ask, “What do I need to change so I will be blessed and accepted by God?”

A fresh start doesn’t mean forgetting regretful choices and behaviors. It does require changing your attitude and imposing self-control in places detrimental to yourself and others. The Prodigal Son changed from being a pompous brat who confessed, “I’ve made a fool of myself and failed completely, but I’ve learned my lesson.”

He learned to value life and how to be sincerely humble. This paved the way for acceptance and forgiveness to be received. It also paved the way for a new beginning and hope for a life absent of guilt and shame. If this is your heart’s desire, God will help you change and succeed.                    

___________ 

Your beginning may be small, but later years will be very great.
~Job 8:7 International Standard Version

___________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Transformation? Praise, Don't Pout!

In the story of the Prodigal Son the father decided to acknowledge the demands of his younger son and give him his inheritance so he could leave home. The father yielded, knowing that the immaturity of his son could lead to disaster. The father was wise enough to know if he held on to his son, he would not have his son's commitment to lead a productive life. This son not only lost his inheritance but also came close to losing his life.

 

          When the son returned home broke, sick and ashamed, the father saw that a transformation had taken place. Gone were the arrogance, the self-centeredness and "I don't need you" attitude. Now there were humility, a sense of gratitude and a true repentant heart.

          The older brother refused to celebrate the transformation of his younger sibling. He chose to be angry and pout. Anger’s message in the older brother was, “All I’ve done is work to please my father and it means nothing to him.” The father's response to the transformation was like the angles who rejoice when a sinner repents and returns to God.

Why Anger?

Anger always has a message and a goal. Benjamin Franklin surmised that anger is never felt without a reason. When the older brother in the parable of the Prodigal Son became angry with his father for giving an extravagant party for the returning younger brother, he felt his anger was justified.

The father's efforts to console the older brother were brushed off. Listen to the father's appeal: "Your brother was dead but is now alive; he was lost but is now found." Still his anger could not be appeased. "I've always been responsible. I obeyed your every command, yet you never once gave me a party."

Anger’s underlying message was, “You love my brother more than me.” Anger's message rarely gets an in-depth examination of a situation because it blurs our vision and limits our range of hearing. The older brother could have asked, "What does my father see in my younger brother that I cannot see? What will I lose by remaining angry?" May God help you ask similar questions when you’re angry.  

Celebrate or Excommunicate?

Have you noticed how anger can be detrimental to achieving a worthy goal? Anger has the capacity to surface with minimal prompting. The father of the prodigal son was so thankful to see his son alive that he called for an all-out celebration, proclaiming, “My son was dead but is now alive, was lost but is now found!”

The older brother would have nothing to do with the celebration. His anger was directed toward his brother for coming home alive, and he was even angrier with his father for treating this irresponsible son as a prince. Visualize the father running down the road to greet his son with hugs and kisses, then ordering a prime rib beef dinner to celebrate.

When the older brother learned of the joyful celebration, he was angry to the depths of his being. The goal of his anger was to spoil his father's joy because the father refused to disown his wayward son and excommunicate him from the family. God’s command is, “Be angry, but do not sin.” Anger always has a reason, but it may not be a good one.

Melting Stone-Cold Attitudes, Ideas, and Hearts - Part 3

How important are other people's opinions to you? There are individuals  who will never be swayed by what others think or believe. Then there are those whose lives hinge on other people's opinions. Fortunately, most people will consider what others say and then make an independent decision.

The older brother in Jesus' story of the lost son was emotionally locked into an inflexible way of thinking. To him, his younger brother made a choice that forever separated him from the privileges and rights of belonging to the family. To him, it was incomprehensible that his brother could come home and be embraced as an important family member.

The older brother's indignation kept him from celebrating his brother's homecoming. He appeared incapable of feeling empathy for his brother or father. Empathy clears the way for understanding what's important to another person. Empathy encourages you to walk with someone through a troubled or a happy occasion. God's love and redemption can melt a heart of stone and clear the way for compassion.  

Melting Stone-Cold Attitudes, Ideas, and Hearts - Part 2

In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus teaches that God's love and mercy extend to undeserving people. This idea collides with the Jewish belief that God's love was reserved only for the Hebrew people. They made their theology fit into a rigid social and religious belief system that could not be altered.

God revealed himself to the Jewish people so they could be witnesses of his love to all humanity. God told them they were indeed their brother's keeper and responsible to God for their attitudes and behaviors. When the older brother in the parable witnessed his father extend acceptance to his undeserving brother, it was more than he could manage.

Another teaching from this parable is, never devote your life to what is transitory, for it cannot guarantee acceptance into God's eternal presence. Jesus encourages us to store up treasures in heaven where their value will never diminish. When kindness and love are given to those who are undeserving, treasures accumulate into a heavenly account just for you.

Melting Stone-Cold Attitudes, Ideas, and Hearts - Part 1

The last few decades of the twentieth century are referred to as the age of narcissism. Narcissism originates from Greek mythology. It's defined as lacking genuine concern for others while being preoccupied with oneself. For the narcissistic individual, looking out for "Number One" is a "number one" priority.

This attitude is embraced in the story of the prodigal son, who left home with little concern for the impact his selfish choices would have on his family. However the father's unprecedented kindness for his son, who chose to return home after squandering his inheritance, is a perfect picture of other-centeredness.

The older brother is offended when the father restores his younger brother to an honorable place within the family. Proverbs 18:19 profiles the older brother. "An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city. His anger shuts you out like iron bars." Compassion and forgiveness are God's attributes that are available to all who sincerely seek them.  

Jealousy or Forgiveness? It's Your Choice - Part 2

Children are keen observers of the attitudes and behaviors their parents model for them. In the story of the prodigal son, imagine what the older brother was thinking and feeling when he observed his father give away property to his younger brother, who would sell it and leave home for an extended period of reckless living? He would later witness his father maintain a vigilant watch each day for the return of the younger son.

Picture the lavish reception this wayward son received from his father when he returned home in abject poverty. The older brother was not happy. He felt threatened, betrayed, and defensive. He believed he was not as special as his brother although he had worked hard, followed his father's rules, and remained obedient.

Is it fair for God to be as accepting of someone who has enjoyed a life of sin and reckless living as he is of someone who has always been faithful? Your answer could  be based on which of these two brothers you more clearly identify with. The good news is, God's love and mercy are greater than all your sins.

________________________________

As of Monday, March 21 new posts now occur 3 days of each week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Blog posts will coordinate with the radio broadcast schedule of Attitudes/Answers that airs at 5:45 PM on KHCB radio at 105.7FM in the Houston area. To stream it live or for a listing of sister stations in TX, OK, LA, and FL, you may click on the KHCB link in the "About Me" section of this page.

False Assumptions vs. Reality - Part 1

The parable of the prodigal son from Luke 15 parallels our lives in interesting ways. It's about a young man who could not compete with his older brother's privileges and power. He assumed that if he left home he could be successful in his own right. The father permitted this young man to follow his dreams. The story is about distinguishing false assumptions from reality.

False assumptions blind a person's ability to correctly perceive reality. Imagine the fantasies this young man possessed. He would separate from his family and find his own way in the world. He evidently assumed that life is a party and his inheritance would sustain him indefinitely.

One other assumption this young man surely held was that his friends would have his back when he needed them. Waking up to the truth takes time, but then choices based on reality can be set in place. Truth based on reality believes that God is at work to save you from yourself. The Lord Jesus Christ will help you sort out false assumptions and give you faith to change.

Developing a Positive Identity - Part 3

One of my high school teachers was fond of reminding us of a truth  from English literature which designates a person's identity. Here it is: "What you are speaks so loudly I can't hear a word you say." Your identity includes so much more than words you speak. Choices that reflect your attitudes and the way you behave paint a clear picture of your character.

Jesus' parable of the prodigal son demonstrates how identity confusion leads to bad choices and ultimate despair. Out of despair the young man was able to see himself clearly and imagine what could be different. That's when he chose to change his life. So much time, energy, and resources were lost thinking he was something he was not. That's identity confusion.

Constructive change is possible by realizing the Lord Jesus can transform your circumstances, your inner self, and personal identity. God's desire is for you to reflect his character in the life you choose to live. This can be the distinguishing feature which clearly reflects your identity and what others see in you.