There is a lot of anger being generated by this political campaign. Some people get angry when lies are told about their candidate, and others get angry when the truth is told about their candidate.

I am not one who thinks that anger is always sinful, but I have learned something in my seventy years on this earth. Anger must be short-lived. Old dynamite is dangerous to everyone for it is unstable. Old anger--or what the Bible calls malice--is also dangerous to everyone, a corrosive that destroys the souls of those who hold it. I suppose this is the reason that the Bible tells us not to let the sun go down on our wrath.

Some people want power and wealth so badly that they will say anything, do anything, and hide anything in order to get it. Rarely has murder been tried in this country, but character assassination, false witness, and other ugliness clog the national arteries. Resentments may last a lifetime.

God is angry with the wicked every day, so it is not improper for the godly to reflect that aspect of God's character, but with a difference. God's character is infinite and absolutly pure and His anger is pure and holy, though eternal. Your's and mine aren't.

David prayed a good prayer once on this subject:

19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
--Psalm 139.

David recognized that is is a good thing to hate wickedness and evil, and it certainly is an evil thing to help the enemies of God and love those who hate the Lord [2Chron. 19:2]. He also knew that he was an imperfect judge of such things, and therefore called upon the Lord to search his heart and know his thoughts. Righteousness in anger grows out of godliness and maturity, not childishness pettiness.

Jesus teaches us to turn a gentle face to the world and to pray for our enemies and for those who mistreat us. This is not contradictory to the truth that the rulers of the world are to use the sword against evildoers [Romans 13:1-3].

I expect to write more on this some other them.