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10 Sermon Illustrations on Anger

10 illustrations

Anger in Christian preaching is seen as a powerful emotion that can either lead to destructive sin or righteous defense of truth, depending on its control and intent (Ephesians 4:26-27). Illustrations often use vivid images like wild animals, familial conflicts, or historical figures to show anger's potential for harm when unchecked and the wisdom of self-restraint and reflection to cure it.

Anger, Control of

Socrates teaches controlling anger by perspective and self-restraint rather than retaliation.

Socrates, finding himself in great emotion against a slave, said, "I would beat you if I were not angry." Having received a box on the car, he contented himself by only saying, with a smile, "It is a pity we do not know when to put on a helmet." Socrates meeting a gentleman of rank in the streets, saluted him; but the gentleman took no notice of it. His friends in company, observing what passed, told the philosopher "they were so exasperated at the man's incivility, that they had a good mind to resent it." But he very calmly made answer, "If you meet any person in the road in a worse habit of body than yourself, would you think you had reason to be enraged at him on that account? Pray, then, what greater reason can you have for being incensed at a man for a worse habit of mind than any of yourselves?"

from New Cyclopaedia of Prose Illustrations · Elon Foster

Anger, Cure for

A couple avoided conflict by never both being angry simultaneously; Caesar recited the alphabet to calm down.

"I have heard of a married couple," says Matthew Henry, "who were both passionate naturally, but who lived very happily together, by simply observing this rule: never to be both angry at the same time."

It is said of Julius Cæsar, that, when provoked, he used to repeat the whole Roman alphabet before he suffered himself to speak.

from New Cyclopaedia of Prose Illustrations · Elon Foster

Anger, Illustration of

A tiger's anger at its reflection shows how anger can be self-destructive and misdirected.

Some time ago, in India, two little children were asleep in a bungalow, when a tiger came out of the jungles after something to eat. He scented the children, and broke into the bungalow after them. But the first thing the tiger saw was a looking-glass, and in the looking-glass he saw a tiger. The tiger did not know it was himself, so he growled and grew angry; and the tiger in the looking-glass growled and grew angry. That made him furious, and he sprang at the tiger in the glass, which, of course, smashed the glass into a thousand pieces; and it frightened the tiger so that he was glad to run off.

from New Cyclopaedia of Prose Illustrations · Elon Foster

Anger, Nature of

There is sinful selfish anger and righteous anger that defends truth and love after reflection.

There is an anger that is damnable: it is the anger of selfishness. There is an anger that is majestic as the frown of Jehovah's brow: it is the anger of truth and love. If a man meets with injustice, it is not required that he shall not be roused to meet it; but if he is angry after he has had time to think upon it, that is sinful. The flame is not wrong, but the coals are. Beecher.

from New Cyclopaedia of Prose Illustrations · Elon Foster

Anger, Provocation to

Small irritations provoke anger, which can grow into a harmful habit affecting greater matters.

As small letters hurt the sight, so do small matters him that is too much intent upon them: they vex and stir up anger, which begets an evil habit in him in reference to greater affairs. Plutarch.

from New Cyclopaedia of Prose Illustrations · Elon Foster

Anger, Treatment of

Ignoring early signs of anger can prevent it from growing into destructive rage.

It is an easy matter to stop the fire that is kindled only in hair, wool, candle-wick, or a little chaff; but, if it once have taken hold of matter that hath solidity and thickness, it soon inflames and consumes,— "Advanced, the highest timber of the roof;" as Æschylus saith; so that he that observes anger while it is in the beginning, and sees it by degrees smoking and taking fire from some speech, or chaff-like scurrility, he need take no great pains to extinguish it, but oftentimes puts an end to it only by silence or neglect. For, as he that adds no fuel to fire hath already as good as put it out, so he that doth not feed anger at the first, nor blow the fire in himself, hath prevented and destroyed it. Plutarch.

from New Cyclopaedia of Prose Illustrations · Elon Foster

Provocation, Avoid Giving

Avoid provoking others by understanding their nature and avoiding triggers.

They that govern elephants never appear before them in white; and the masters of bulls keep from them all garments of blood and scarlet, as knowing that they will be impatient of civil usages and discipline when their natures are provoked by their proper antipathies.

— Bp. Taylor

Violence Of Herod

Uncontrolled anger led Herod to madness and violent, regretted actions.

The effect of indulging in anger is seen in the case of Herod, the Tetrarch of Judea. He had so little command over his passion, that upon every slight occasion his anger would transport him to absolute madness. Sometimes he would be sorry and repent of the injuries which he had done when anger clouded his understanding, and soon after commit the same outrages; so that none about him were secure of their lives a moment.

The Boys And The Ball

Sibling anger over a game nearly caused serious harm despite their usual love.

CLUB.—There were two brothers; Alvah twelve, Michael nine years old. They generally lived together as happily as most brothers do. But sometimes they would quarrel; and when they did get angry with each other they the pedigree he carried back rather farther than the greatest strength of credulity would allow. "In gude faith, man," says the king, "it may be they are very true, but I did na' ken before that Adam's name was Lumley."

ER.

were very furious and reckless of each other's limbs and lives. Their parents were very uneasy at times, lest in a fit of anger one should kill the other. Much they talked to them, and warned them against anger, and against striking each other with fists and clubs, and throwing stones at each other. The boys, when not in anger, appeared loving and kind, and would promise not to strike and throw stones at each other.

One day they were earnestly engaged in a game of ball. Michael had the club, and had just knocked the ball. Alvah caught it—at least, he said he did, and declared it was his turn to knock it. Michael said he did not catch it, but that he wanted to cheat, and should not have the club. Alvah said he would have it. They grew angry, struggling for the club. Then Michael started to run with it. Alvah caught a stone and threw it at him. The stone flew as if winged with the wrath and fury of him who threw it, and struck Michael on the knee. It cut a deep hole right on the joint. In a little while the wound became painfully sore, and Michael soon lost the use of his leg. In time, it turned to a white swelling; and the leg had to be cut off above the knee to save his life.

All this pain and suffering, and maiming for life, merely to decide who should knock a ball! Michael lost his leg to defend his right to keep a ball-club! For this trivial cause, Alvah inflicted on his dear brother unspeakable suffering, and made him a helpless cripple for life. This was a costly fight, and for a worthless object. Anger often produces like results.

from Cyclopaedia of Moral and Religious Anecdotes · Kazlitt Arvine family

An Eye For A Pin

Uncontrolled anger leads to violent conflict and harm among believers.

Two boys, named Abel and Asa, were at the same school in New-York, each about ten years old; not brothers, but school-mates and class-mates. Both of them had irritable tempers, and had been taught to think they must resent injuries and defend their rights at all hazards. Playing pin was a common amusement in the school. They played in this way: Two boys would take a hat and set it down between them, crown upward. Then each boy would lay a pin on top of the crown, and then knock it—first one, and then the other. The one that could knock the pins so that they would lie across each other, had them both. During recess, one day, Abel and Asa were playing pin. They knocked the pins about some time. Both became much excited in the game. Finally, Abel knocked the pins so that, as he said, one lay across the point of the other. Asa denied it. Abel declared they did, and snatched up both pins. Asa's anger flashed in a moment, and he struck Abel in the face with his fist. This excited Abel's wrath. They began to fight—the other boys clustering around, not to part them, but to urge them on. Some cried, "Hit him, Abel!" and some, "Give it to him, Asa!" thus stimulating them to quarrel. The boys seized each other, and finally came tumbling to the ground, Abel on top. Then Abel, in his fury, went to beating Asa in his face, till the blood spouted from his nose and mouth, and till Asa lay like one dead. Then the boys pulled Abel off. But Asa could not get up. The boys began to be alarmed. They were afraid Abel had killed him. The teacher was called. He carried Asa in, washed the blood from his face, and recovered him from his stupor. He examined his face and head, and found them bruised in a shocking manner. One of his eyes was so hurt and swollen he could not open it. And from that day the sight of it grew more and more dim, till it went out in total darkness. So Asa lost an eye, and Abel put it out, merely for a pin!

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