I wonder how He would vent his frustration at the moneychangers in the temple? Perhaps overturning furniture and brandishing a whip?

Does this mean Christ wasn’t always Christlike?

At times like those I ask myself, WWJD; then I throw the wrench. ;)

MakrothyMEo- refers to patience with people rather than with things or circumstances.
References:

1 Cor. 13:4, I Thess. 5:14; 2 Pet 3:9.
Matt. 18:26,29.
Heb. 6:15; James 5:7,8.
Luke 18:7.

Let’s look at unjustified condemning thoughts, evil thoughts (not just “bad thoughts”), as in your jealous t.v. watching example, or your harshly self-judgmental theoretical member example. I argue that indulging in these self-damaging thoughts erode our ability to serve. And seriously, do you want to argue that the impulse to throw a wrench in frustration, even in frustrations, is characteristic of the pure love of Christ?

We’re not talking about if it’s realistic or fair. We’re just reading the scriptural specs describing the pure love of Christ.

“She also believed in Christ.”

Well, it turns out, maybe she didn’t.

“Even Mother Teresa doubted the existence of God, according to a new book that unveils her private journals and letters.”

• I am sick and don’t go to the doctor.
• I am depressed and think I may act on my suicidal thoughts.
• I feel guilty for things I can’t control.
• I get upset watching certain types of TV/movies, but I continue to watch them because they are just ‘what’s on’.

Examples of bad thoughts that do not involve other people:

• While fixing my car I get frustrated and envision myself throwing wrenches across the garage.
• While watching TV I see men who are taller, shorter, thinner, more muscular, etc. than me and I think I am a failure because I am not like them.
• I, as a theoretical member, judge myself to harshly over my own observance of doctrine – or lack of faith.

And what I can come up with, these evil thoughts or state of impatience will color who you are. Charity is the pure love of Christ. Will one be ready to be charitable in the love-another way, if he or she is feeling inwardly cankered?

evil thought examples:

dwelling on thoughts of ripping someone off–will I be natural, or oddly overcompensating, when time comes to interact with that person?

p0rn-related–will this effect how I view women and relationship?

jealousy–will my mind be open to be a friend to the person I wish would lose it? will my mental bandwidth be occupied when I could be otherwise productive, even charitably productive in unrelated directions?

long-suffering–will my letter of complaint to the airlines be more effective if I cannot first express some empathy or see their point of view? The sacred (snort) book of How to Win Friends and Influence People suggests otherwise.

–will I be patient or available to others, if I’m seething about things at work? Will it impact the other people in the car, if steam is coming out of my ears about the traffic situation?

sure, part of our christian walk is to do right by others, do our duty, even if our natural impulses say otherwise. But discipline which somewhat clears our internal state of evil and impatience equips us to better server as a conduit for Christ’s love.

and my kids are so badly raised, they will very likely get your goat. I’m trying to correct my parental errors, but I still hope all the people who encounter them are well rested and feeling good about the world beforehand.

One kind of evil thought it assuming the worst of people, and attributing to them the worst motives. It does influence how we receive people, how we treat them.

Long suffering is greek-speak for patience. It’s charitable not to lose your temper or give up on persistent annoying people. Like my kids.

So, how does never having bad thoughts make us charitable? Or rather, to be more in line with JM’s first comment, why would being charitable rid us of all evil thoughts? Why does being charitable encourage us to be long suffering?