Active Christians Today University of Toledo
Women's Small Group: "Jesus in the Real World"
Everyday we face challenges. The real world is made up of real choices and as Believers, our goal should be to make those choices with God's Word as our foundation. Our Women's Small Group "Jesus in the Real World" studies real life case studies with the goal of responding to each as Jesus would.
Locations & Times
Delta Church of Christ
2018 Bretton Pl, Toledo, OH 43606, USA
Monday 6:30 PM
Case Study: Anger
Mallory stared at the paper in front of her. She was a freshman in college but she was struggling already and the semester had just begun. She couldn’t concentrate on class or anything the professor said with the thoughts invading every corner of her mind. She didn’t understand the feelings she had or why it caused such a problem for her now but she knew she was depressed. Finally, she decided to do the one thing she hadn’t done up to this point. She decided to talk with her pastor and his wife.
Pastor Bill and Mary were a part of Mallory’s life for years. Pastor Bill baptized Mallory when she was in junior high school. They were excited to get a chance to catch up with her now that Mallory was in college.
Mallory had an engaging personality and was always an enthusiastic participant in church activities. She always smiled and had a kind word for everyone. Bill and Mary knew of a few bad things that happened in Mallory’s life but Mallory seemed to handle everything with a smile so what Mallory said surprised and concerned them.
Mallory related a series of tragic circumstances. As a child, Mallory was sexually molested by an uncle. She never told anyone about what happened including her parents. She revealed what happened to Bill and Mary for the first time in her life. They listened intently as Mary’s eyes glistened with tears.
In high school Mallory dated the captain of the football team. One night after losing a close game, he got angry and hit her repeatedly. She reported the incident to the police and he was prosecuted. As a result, she was shunned by her classmates. Instead of jail time, he ended up with a few hours of community service and a stern warning from the judge. Why? Because he was captain of the football team, of course.
Bill and Mary didn’t know about the abuse or the case and couldn’t believe that Mallory or her parents didn’t tell them about this before. But as is the case in many small towns, the concern was more for the football team than it was about the victim so there was no reporting and the whole situation was kept quiet.
In addition to what happened at school, Mallory’s home life wasn’t much better. Bill and Mary knew her father left when she was a junior and by the time she graduated her parents were divorced. Mallory was left with little support in her life and no relationship with her father.
Both Bill and Mary were shocked by what they heard. What made it even more shocking was Mallory’s matter-of-fact description of her life. She didn’t seem angry. She seemed a little depressed but even more than that, Mallory seemed confused.
Mary took Mallory’s hand and said, “I’m amazed, Mallory, after what you described that you are so calm. Aren’t you angry about what happened?”
Mallory only smiled. “How can I be angry? I was taught all my life that anger is a sin. In Sunday School my teachers told me to never be angry. I can’t be angry at the people who hurt me, that’s wrong. I just can’t be angry. What would God think of me? Right now I feel like God is all I have in my life.”
Pastor Bill and Mary looked at Mallory and said...
Mallory stared at the paper in front of her. She was a freshman in college but she was struggling already and the semester had just begun. She couldn’t concentrate on class or anything the professor said with the thoughts invading every corner of her mind. She didn’t understand the feelings she had or why it caused such a problem for her now but she knew she was depressed. Finally, she decided to do the one thing she hadn’t done up to this point. She decided to talk with her pastor and his wife.
Pastor Bill and Mary were a part of Mallory’s life for years. Pastor Bill baptized Mallory when she was in junior high school. They were excited to get a chance to catch up with her now that Mallory was in college.
Mallory had an engaging personality and was always an enthusiastic participant in church activities. She always smiled and had a kind word for everyone. Bill and Mary knew of a few bad things that happened in Mallory’s life but Mallory seemed to handle everything with a smile so what Mallory said surprised and concerned them.
Mallory related a series of tragic circumstances. As a child, Mallory was sexually molested by an uncle. She never told anyone about what happened including her parents. She revealed what happened to Bill and Mary for the first time in her life. They listened intently as Mary’s eyes glistened with tears.
In high school Mallory dated the captain of the football team. One night after losing a close game, he got angry and hit her repeatedly. She reported the incident to the police and he was prosecuted. As a result, she was shunned by her classmates. Instead of jail time, he ended up with a few hours of community service and a stern warning from the judge. Why? Because he was captain of the football team, of course.
Bill and Mary didn’t know about the abuse or the case and couldn’t believe that Mallory or her parents didn’t tell them about this before. But as is the case in many small towns, the concern was more for the football team than it was about the victim so there was no reporting and the whole situation was kept quiet.
In addition to what happened at school, Mallory’s home life wasn’t much better. Bill and Mary knew her father left when she was a junior and by the time she graduated her parents were divorced. Mallory was left with little support in her life and no relationship with her father.
Both Bill and Mary were shocked by what they heard. What made it even more shocking was Mallory’s matter-of-fact description of her life. She didn’t seem angry. She seemed a little depressed but even more than that, Mallory seemed confused.
Mary took Mallory’s hand and said, “I’m amazed, Mallory, after what you described that you are so calm. Aren’t you angry about what happened?”
Mallory only smiled. “How can I be angry? I was taught all my life that anger is a sin. In Sunday School my teachers told me to never be angry. I can’t be angry at the people who hurt me, that’s wrong. I just can’t be angry. What would God think of me? Right now I feel like God is all I have in my life.”
Pastor Bill and Mary looked at Mallory and said...
Discussion: First Take
Have you ever felt like Mallory?
How have you handled those feelings?
If Mallory came to you, what would you say to her?
Have you ever felt like Mallory?
How have you handled those feelings?
If Mallory came to you, what would you say to her?
God in the Old Testament World: God and Anger
What do these verses tell you about God and anger?
How can this verse apply to Mallory (and even you and I) today?
How can this verse apply to Mallory (and even you and I) today?
Jesus in the Real World: Jesus and Anger
The New Testament uses several words to express the concept of anger.
Orge appears forty-five times.
Thumos appears twenty times.
Aganaktesis appears mentioned five times.
Which of these words seem to describe how you feel or have felt?
Which are the most dangerous?
Would you consider any of these sin?
The New Testament uses several words to express the concept of anger.
Orge appears forty-five times.
Thumos appears twenty times.
Aganaktesis appears mentioned five times.
Which of these words seem to describe how you feel or have felt?
Which are the most dangerous?
Would you consider any of these sin?
What issues going on in this world right now might drive your anger to this level?
Are there “heartless” people in this world that upset you? Who and why?
Have you ever felt indignant about members of your church or ACT?
How did this make you feel?
How did you handle your feelings?
Jesus demonstrated over and over the different forms of anger. Jesus was upset about oppression, heartlessness, and injustice. Jesus was without sin.
So what does that tell us about anger?
How did this make you feel?
How did you handle your feelings?
Jesus demonstrated over and over the different forms of anger. Jesus was upset about oppression, heartlessness, and injustice. Jesus was without sin.
So what does that tell us about anger?
God's Word on Anger Management
What does these verses alone tell you about anger?
Do they say that we won’t be angry?
What happens if we don’t resolve those issues?
Back to Mallory - what do you think was happening with her feelings?
Why was she confused?
Why was she struggling to deal with the turmoil inside?
A bigger question - how does “forgiveness” play a role in our anger (and in Mallory’s specifically)?
If Mallory has forgiven those who have hurt her, should she still be angry?
How do you feel about the following statement: “Anger is an emotion. It is not a sin.”
Do they say that we won’t be angry?
What happens if we don’t resolve those issues?
Back to Mallory - what do you think was happening with her feelings?
Why was she confused?
Why was she struggling to deal with the turmoil inside?
A bigger question - how does “forgiveness” play a role in our anger (and in Mallory’s specifically)?
If Mallory has forgiven those who have hurt her, should she still be angry?
How do you feel about the following statement: “Anger is an emotion. It is not a sin.”
Praises & Prayer Requests