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One Good Thought Followed by One Good Deed
By William Summers
Of all our emotions, anger can be the most dangerous. If harbored it can lead to divisions between best friends. It can drive a wedge between husband and wife, brother and sister, parents and children, or any other relationship. There are thousands of examples on record, in Scripture and the secular press, of people committing murder because of anger. The first and best illustration of what anger can do is the murder of Abel by his brother Cain. In the Bible story we read:
“But on Cain and his offering He [God] did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry and his face was downcast. Then the [LORD] said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it’” (Genesis 4:5-7, NIV).
Clearly this first murder of the human race was caused by anger, which probably began as envy, which led to jealousy. Jealous of his brother because Abel’s offering was accepted and his was not. He apparently had not followed God’s instructions regarding offerings.
Anger is a terrible evil. The Apostle Paul said: “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (Psalm 4:4, Ephesians 4:26). Anger will destroy you. It will destroy your peace of mind. It will destroy your friendships and lead too much worse things.
Abel was a herdsman. He dealt with animals. Cain was a truck gardener growing vegetables, nuts, and fruits. They both did a good job of keeping their tables supplied. Cain furnished the produce, while Abel brought the meat. Together they made a good team. Both were needed to supply their own needs, and probably the needs of others around them.
Then it came time to worship. Abel sacrificed an animal. The shedding of blood looked forward to the coming of Christ and His sacrifice for our sins. So God was pleased with the offering of Abel.
Cain brought an offering of produce, whatever he was growing at that time. God was not pleased with his offering. He could have traded his produce to his brother for an animal fit and acceptable for a sacrifice to God. He knew what he was supposed to do. God had first shed blood in the Garden of Eden to make clothes for Adam and Eve. The boys had to be familiar with that story. And although we are not told the details, God undoubtedly had issued to them “Rules to live by outside of Eden.” It goes against His nature to keep them in ignorance and then punish Cain for doing what he thought was right.
All the families of the earth at that time had to know what God expected of them. Cain’s attitude through this whole episode shouts rebellion, and a total disregard for the wishes of God, and his brother Abel. He had to have known what God required. It goes against everything that makes God who He is to punish Cain for doing something he didn’t know was wrong. God makes certain that we know what is expected of us.
Sometimes we may have a very primitive knowledge of what is right and wrong, but if we walk in the light, though it be a very dim light, it will become brighter and brighter, and lead us in the right way.
In the words of Proverb 4:18, (NIV), “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter until the full light of day.” “You have made known to me the path of life,” said the Psalmist (Psalm 16:11, NIV).
Cain became angry because Abel’s offering was accepted and his was rejected. He grew in his garden of evil thoughts, a crop of resentment, envy, and jealousy. These led him down the path of hate. The way of hate led to the first murder. Cain was unable to receive God’s counsel to master his anger. He was able with God’s help, if he had called on God, otherwise He would not have required it of him, but he was unable without the assistance of God.
It was not so much his ability or inability; it was rather a matter of will. He was not willing to obey God. He wanted to do as he pleased. God told him if he wanted to be accepted, he would have to play by the rules. He was not willing to do that. Cain was angry—very angry. Uncontrolled anger removes one’s ability to think clearly, or to make rational decisions. Anger grows so large that it blots out the vision of right and wrong. The angry person sees the offense, and then he sees the offender. He sees the bad, not the good. Anger becomes sin when the angry person wants to remain angry. When a spirit of revenge takes control. When the “get even” spirit takes over the wheel and drives straight into disaster. When a person knows to do good and refuses, as Cain did.
Cain then made plans to murder his brother. He plotted against him. He invited him to go for a walk in the field with him. When he got him to a place where he thought no one would see him, he picked up a club and beat his brother to death. But God saw him. No one else needed to. Cain’s anger had led him to that awful place where he committed that evil deed.
God was willing to forgive him for his disobedience in regard to the offering, but Cain would not ask for it. God would even now grant him forgiveness for the murder, but he doesn’t ask.
God asked Cain, “If you do what is right will you not be accepted?” Cain was determined to do what was wrong. That’s when his anger became sin, when he knew what he was supposed to do and did what was wrong instead.
We, like Cain, become angry by thinking thoughts of hate. Thoughts of hate are never justified because: We may not have all the information about the situation that made us angry. A person’s anger may be due to a deep depression, and he/she is unable to act in the way we expect. Or he/she may be going through an unbelievably difficult time, and cannot think rationally. Sometimes, anger expressed toward others stems from anger with oneself, usually for something he/she has done or not done. Not wanting to admit the truth, the anger is directed at someone else.
When Jesus said, “Pray for those who persecute you,” He knew that you couldn’t continue to be angry with someone you’re praying for. So start thinking of all the good things you can, about the one you are angry with. You became angry by thinking hate.
Get rid of your hate by thinking thoughts of love and kindness.
Do something good for them.
Send them a card.
Bake them a cake.
Compliment them.
Take them to a ball game.
One good thought, followed by one good deed can start the ball rolling in the right direction. i
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