Anger, Fear, and Aggression
"Anger, fear, aggression, the dark side are they." -Master Yoda
Is it any wonder that George Lucas selected these three attitudes as the three greatest evils in the universe that he created? The fanciful world of Star Wars, where wise Jedi like Yoda and evil Sith Lords like Darth Vader face off with glowing lightsabers is more than just an imaginative sci-fi fiction. There is some real insight in these concepts.
In recent months, I have had opportunities to reflect upon anger, fear, and aggression as a result of what has happened both in the world around me and looking inward at myself. The world around us is full of these three if we take a look, both in the wider world and closer to home. People get angry when things aren't as they ought to be. This is especially common where "what ought to be" mysteriously corresponds with "what I want". We become afraid when the future is uncertain or when we are in a vulnerable position. As a martial artist, I know that one can be vulnerable physically, mentally, or even spiritually. In the mad rush of modern society, we often must be aggressive in our drive to get "what we want, when we want it"; so much so that all else around us fades into the background.
Fear, especially, causes me a lot of concern these days. It is easy to trust God with small uncertainties in life: a distant relative that is ill, for a meeting or an interview to go well, for a good meal. What about those big things though? What about when a loved one that is very close to you is on the verge of death? What about when the security of your dream job is in serious question? What about those situations where we are venturing out alone into a new part of the world with no faithful friends at our side? Whenever I find myself overly worried or afraid, I have to remind myself that there should be no reason to be afraid of these situations. God is with us! Trust: it is such an easy thing when the wagers are small, but when the danger grows, so does the fear and the trust seems to diminish.
From the martial artist's perspective, anger, fear, and aggression are luxuries. They are amenities and feelings that are not necessary and can be avoided. Rather, they should be avoided. They are also amenities that are not necessary for the Christian as well, for both in the spiritual life as on the battlefield, anger, fear, and aggression can be an easy route to defeat. True, there are occasions where just anger, honest fear, and being somewhat aggressive are called for, but in everyday life, they are fewer and farther between than one might think.
Is it any wonder that George Lucas selected these three attitudes as the three greatest evils in the universe that he created? The fanciful world of Star Wars, where wise Jedi like Yoda and evil Sith Lords like Darth Vader face off with glowing lightsabers is more than just an imaginative sci-fi fiction. There is some real insight in these concepts.
In recent months, I have had opportunities to reflect upon anger, fear, and aggression as a result of what has happened both in the world around me and looking inward at myself. The world around us is full of these three if we take a look, both in the wider world and closer to home. People get angry when things aren't as they ought to be. This is especially common where "what ought to be" mysteriously corresponds with "what I want". We become afraid when the future is uncertain or when we are in a vulnerable position. As a martial artist, I know that one can be vulnerable physically, mentally, or even spiritually. In the mad rush of modern society, we often must be aggressive in our drive to get "what we want, when we want it"; so much so that all else around us fades into the background.
Fear, especially, causes me a lot of concern these days. It is easy to trust God with small uncertainties in life: a distant relative that is ill, for a meeting or an interview to go well, for a good meal. What about those big things though? What about when a loved one that is very close to you is on the verge of death? What about when the security of your dream job is in serious question? What about those situations where we are venturing out alone into a new part of the world with no faithful friends at our side? Whenever I find myself overly worried or afraid, I have to remind myself that there should be no reason to be afraid of these situations. God is with us! Trust: it is such an easy thing when the wagers are small, but when the danger grows, so does the fear and the trust seems to diminish.
From the martial artist's perspective, anger, fear, and aggression are luxuries. They are amenities and feelings that are not necessary and can be avoided. Rather, they should be avoided. They are also amenities that are not necessary for the Christian as well, for both in the spiritual life as on the battlefield, anger, fear, and aggression can be an easy route to defeat. True, there are occasions where just anger, honest fear, and being somewhat aggressive are called for, but in everyday life, they are fewer and farther between than one might think.