Anger vs. Anxiety

All of the teachings in Matthew 5-7 are very important for humans to understand. There is no wrong teaching, nor is there any one teaching we should ignore. Yet there are certain teachings that stand out, and should have more emphasis on them. Taylor says the most important teaching is the one about relaxation, and to avoid anxiety. This teaching is important, but to control anger is more important.

I say controlling anger is more important because anger can lead to an un-relaxed life. Anger can build up in someone, stewing over weeks, months or years, until it is a monster. This monster can cause more destruction than we know. It will alienate family, push away friends, and induce self loathing. I am not saying anxiety is not a monster, because it is. What I am saying is that the Anger Monster can lead to the Anxiety Monster. Therefore, we should eliminate the Anger Monster first, thus never allowing the Anxiety Monster to be born.

Anger is much more unpredictable than anxiety. Anger can initiate fights, wars, and other hurtful deeds. I, too, have issues with anxiety, so I know how it can affect me and the people I care about most. But I also have issues with anger. When I was in third grade, a boy took my jump rope, and I became so enraged, I punched him in the face and broke his nose. As soon as I had done it, I felt the anger vanish, and a fear gripped me: I had hurt this boy for what reason? A jump rope?? So my over all argument is that anger is far more dangerous than anxiety, and if we control anger, we therefore control anxiety.