A friend recently shared with me some thoughts on anger from Chip Dodd’s The Voice of the Heart.  I’ve not quite thought about anger in this way before, but I like it:

Authentic anger is a caring feeling, telling us that something matters.  in fact, the energy of compassion is rooted in anger, the desire to make the pain we feel and see come to an end.

Anger exposes what we value and expresses our willingness to do what is required to reach that value.  It allows us to stay with our values, take sides, and even die for what we believe in.

Jesus, who turned the tables over in the temple and drove out thieves from a sacred place, experienced true anger.  He showed the vulnerability of full passion and compassion, the desire to make what had become rotten pure again.

Dodd has a lot more to say about anger, its roots, fruits and what happens when it is “impaired.”  As I read about anger, I couldn’t help but remember one of my favorite scenes from The Avengers concerning Bruce Banner.  I quote his line more than I probably should, but it’s a good one.