August 19, 2005
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23
You may have heard an ABC News interview with Dr. Redford Williams of Duke University who stated that habitual anger is as bad for the heart as high cholesterol or smoking. He went on to say that some anger management might be a good idea to improve the quality for all of us in this nation.
We have long associated love with the heart, but other than experiencing the effect that anger has on ones blood pressure in the moment, I am not sure that we have equated regular fits of anger with heart disease. According to Williams, anger can do significant damage to the heart.
Long ago, a teacher told me “I am almost always at the heart of anger.” I did not actually understand what she meant at the time, but over the years, it is a phrase that has grown on me. More often than not, we get angry when our own ego gets bruised or when our own agenda is compromised, or our own opinion rejected. Her use of “I” in the phrase was a reference to the strong ego within us that does not like to be challenged. Much of our anger grows from our determination to make things go the way we want them. That obsession with “I” is creating havoc in our lives emotionally, physically and spiritually.
Just so we are clear, I have a temper. I have long blamed it on my father who also had a temper. However, he has been deceased for more than 20 years, so it is certainly past time for me to take responsibility for my own life. How are you dealing with your anger? Turned inward, anger may be experienced as low self-esteem and/or depression. Turned outwardly, anger over time can become rage. Either way, a steady diet of anger is bad for the heart.
“Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” is great wisdom. I am confident that spending time nurturing love, compassion, generosity and kindness within our heart and life will be far more life-giving than anger. Replacing some of our “I” centered mindset with a broader “we” view of life may indeed have a longer life. In a world where we are constantly defending our individual rights and nurturing an sense of entitlement, the ancient words continue to provide wisdom. May we guard our hearts so that our egos will not rob us of life!
Prayer: Loving and gracious God, move within our hearts this moment. Release us from anger, petty grievances, and old grudges. Fill us anew with your love so that we continue to grow a heart of compassion and a life of service. This we pray in the name of the Jesus who has truly taught us how to love. Amen.
