Whenever I fault myself or someone else for giving in to anger, I think of Moses. He’s right near the top, if you’re thinking about righteous people in the history of, not one generation or even five, but in the history of time. In the history of the world! Shy? I don’t know about that, but he wasn’t a fan of public speaking. Maybe he stuttered. Maybe he was just slow in putting words together. Maybe he wasn’t very articulate. Maybe his neck got blotchy.

At any rate, he came up with excuse after excuse regarding why he shouldn’t be the one to lead Israel out of Egypt. Who could blame him? With the Ten Commandments overshadowing everything, it’s easy to forget that he killed an Egyptian guy. Actually, that guy – the guy that Moses killed and hid in the sand – was overseeing the hard labor of some Israeli men who, by this time, were slaves. That came about out of jealousy and fear a Pharaoh felt, which is a good reminder that covetousness has no place in a decent person’s character, but I digress.

By the time everyone had either experienced or witnessed the plagues, Israel had crossed the Red Sea on dry ground while God parted it in two, and Moses had gone up on the mountain and fasted 40 days, there was some water under the bridge, you know? So when he came down and saw the folks that he’d led out of Egypt – the ones he’d put his own neck on the line for, the ones God was doing all sorts of beyond amazing things for – had made a golden calf and were worshiping it – worshiping it – you might understand his distress, frustration, and anger.

So, as I was saying, I think of Moses. Who. Broke. What. God. Wrote. In. Stone. Moses slammed those commandments down so hard, they shattered. Stone shattered! He must’ve really crushed it. He was mad. Witnessing corruption will do that to a person. But think how embarrassing it would be to be the one to shatter the 10 Commandments. It makes me like him even a little more. Fortunately, God made a second set for him to give to the people, and he put it in the Ark. Safe and sound.

There’s a lot to be righteously angry about these days. If you are, you’re in good company. I mean, I didn’t even mention Jesus overturning the tables at the Temple. I hope our anger is for good and not evil. And if we’re having trouble telling one from the other, we can just read the Ten Commandments, one of which is Thou Shalt Not Covet. Oh the irony.

References: Exodus 4:10-15; Exodus 2:11-12; Exodus 32:19; Images: SnappyGoat.com