March 8, 2012 - Acts 22:25

“As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, ‘Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?’” Acts 22:25.
Instead of demanding justice and yelling about the mistreatment served him, Paul asks the centurion, who was about to flog him, a simple question. It was against Roman law to flog a Roman citizen unless he was found guilty at trial. Paul’s demeanor was such that it took the centurion by surprise. It stopped this man in his tracks, and he immediately halted the flogging. There was no anger apparent in Paul’s request. It was a simple and to-the-point question, in which he was stating his Roman citizenship. And the comment served its purpose.
There have been many times when I felt justified in raising my voice and getting upset over what I perceived to be an injustice done to me. For example, if you watched me driving, you would see me react to other drivers who “infringe on my space”. (When my wife has been with me and I’ve gotten angry at another driver, she would remind me that Jesus died for that other driver.) This kind of thing may not be a trigger for you, but I would imagine that you can relate to anger rising up from within us when we’ve been mistreated. A lesson that I am learning from Paul is his focus on Jesus as his authority and Lord. Paul submitted all of his actions to the Lord, including his anger, and only attempted to do that which he believed Jesus would have him do. He was flogged elsewhere, and he made no comment about his citizenship. It is no longer about infringing on my rights or my space. It is about how Jesus would like for me to conduct myself in this situation or for that circumstance. Can I respond like Paul?
Questions to consider: Do you have situations that happen that trigger your anger to rise up? Are these things that God is angry about? If not, do you need to change? What step(s) can you take to respond with patience, instead of anger?
Prayer: Father, help me to be angry at the things that anger You, and help me to give up my rights to what I claim to belong to me and give them all over to You. Amen.