“”Be angry, but do not sin;

do not let the sun go down on your anger.”

–Ephesians 4:26

Shortly after seminary graduation, Lori and I moved to a small Kentucky town to prepare for the start of my first pastorate. Along with all of the other details involved with getting settled in was the need for telephone service. When I called the local Bell Company to make arrangements, the service rep took my information and then said of the next available number “Oh, this will be an easy one to remember: 498-6666. Is that all right for you?”  Despite having a degree from a theological institution and growing-up in the Presbyterian church, I was completely unaware of the verse in the Book of Revelation which talks about the number 666 as the mark of the beast. So, quite innocently I accepted that phone number.  I soon learned that others in the community had a different perspective on the appropriateness of my choice.

Shortly after we moved in, I answered the phone one evening and a male voice said “This is the devil calling. What are you doing with my number?” I was waiting for him to laugh or identify himself as some college friend, but that didn’t happen. I hung up. The next evening, he called back and apologized. He had once had the phone number for his car lot and wanted it back. I already had it printed on business cards and bulletin covers sufficient for a year and told him “no.” While amazed a minister would even agree to such a number he never called again.

Periodically afterwards, I would answer the phone and a young voice on the other end would again “Is the devil there?” I could handle the occasional call, but one day the local schools were out due to snow. Our son was quite young and I had just put him down for an afternoon nap when the phone started ringing. After several times of hearing variations of the same question, the calls stopped and we both fell asleep.

Yet when our son and I were both awakened by the phone and the tenth pre-adolescent caller asking “Is the devil there?” I got mad and replied “Yes, the devil is here and I know where you are, too!” It wasn’t a nice thing to say. It made things worse, too, as that pre-teen called his buddies and our phone began ringing off the hook. I then did what I should have done at the start as I unplugged the phone! 

Anger can create problems far more significant than annoying phone calls or interrupted naps. I suspect many of you can recall a time when your anger–whether justified or not–created more trouble. Certainly, too, there are people described as having “anger issues.” Such individuals have a short fuse always looking for a detonator. Fortunately, our faith does not teach us to strive for an anger-free existence. Such a standard would be unattainable for many, including this former pastor. The gospels even depict a couple of times when Jesus was angry himself. He was fully God and fully human after all. 

Yet I do appreciate the Apostle Paul’s perspective when in writing to some first century Christians said “Be angry but do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your anger.”  Such a word acknowledges the natural emotion for humans, but places limits on it. A helpful standard to hold onto and emulate during annoying phone calls and other times in life, too.  

God of justice and love, you have created us with a full array of emotions. Help us to grow in a faithful use of them, including those times we are hopping mad.  Amen. 

Footnote:  This week I used an online search tool that allows one to type in a phone number and see who owns it.  When I entered my number from our Kentucky days, it still shows me as the owner even though we left that community in 1992.  Perhaps the phone company decided not to risk things by issuing it again! 🙂