Angry Doors.

No, it's not a typo. I didn't really mean to type "Angry Birds", although I appreciate you all putting the game down for five minutes to read this blog. Just a few thoughts I had as I woke up this morning...

Isn't it funny that the door used to let people into your home is also the same door used to keep people out?

We use doors for privacy in our homes.

We use them to keep the cold out in the winter and open them for cool air in the summer.

We slam them when we're angry.

We open them slowly so as not to wake the sleeping baby but just check on them.

We shut them at night to keep the light out of our bedrooms (well at least in Alaska). 

We lock them at night and when we're away.

We even teach our dogs how to shut them so we don't have to get back off the couch. 

We tell knock-knock jokes with them... (maybe this is a far stretch...)

Well, what does the Bible say about doors? I recently attended a Bible study that talked about the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. Cain offered part of his harvest to God but God refused it. Abel offered his fattest, firstborn lambs and God was pleased. Cain was obviously hurt and God gives him this warning: "You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master." (Gen. 4:7) 

Quite a scary thought isn't it? That sin is crouching outside my door right now, just waiting for me to let it in and destroy my life? It's like a pesky neighbor that won't go away or the neighborhood cat that you fed once and now thinks you are its master.  Just waiting. Waiting. 

This lesson came at an opportune time, as when I'm angry, I like to think slamming doors will make me feel better (it doesn't). And I realize that in my anger, at that doorstep, ready to slam, I am inviting sin right into my home.  As I walk away in haste, with unresolved issues, I leave the house open for Satan to enter. 

So how can I protect my home from this crouching sin? Ephesians 4:26-27 warns us, "Don't sin by letting anger control you. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil." Anger is the open invitation to your heart, your marriage, your friendships, your relationships at work, in your church, in your casual run-ins at the super market... an open invitation for sin to creep in and take over that relationship like a cancer. And it can happen suddenly and spread quickly without you even realizing it. Settle your differences, square things up with those you've wronged or have wronged you, create harmony in that broken relationship... heck, I'll even be so bold as to tell you to apologize and forgive. I'm not saying it's easy, but clearly we are warned of the consequences if we don't.

And so, with that said, I think I'm done slamming doors for awhile.