When Anger Spreads

Scripture:

The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” – Acts 19:32–34

Think:

Have you ever become angry with someone before you heard what actually happened?

A friend tells you how they were treated. You see how deeply it hurt them, and you want to stand beside them. But somewhere in the conversation, listening becomes judging. By the time you leave, you are certain about a situation you have only heard described.

In Ephesus, an angry crowd filled the theater. Some shouted one thing, some another. Luke tells us that most did not even know why they had gathered.

Yet they were there, adding their voices.

When Alexander tried to speak, the crowd recognized that he was Jewish and shouted over him. For about two hours, they repeated the same declaration: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

They were willing to shout for two hours without allowing him to explain.

Their anger was stronger than their desire to understand.

That is the danger this passage brings close to home. We can become so caught up in someone else’s outrage that we stop asking what is true. Their certainty makes us feel certain. Their pain makes us feel justified. Soon, we are repeating an accusation about someone who has never had the opportunity to speak to us.

And the person being discussed becomes less real than the story being told.

But that person has a life our words can wound. A family. Relationships. A reputation that may take years to rebuild after a conversation that took us only minutes.

This does not mean dismissing someone’s pain or refusing to confront wrongdoing. It means caring enough to listen carefully, distinguish what we know from what we assume, and resist the urge to pronounce judgment before we understand.

You can sit beside a hurting friend and say, “I am so sorry this has hurt you,” without claiming to know another person’s motives. You can offer comfort without carrying the accusation into the next conversation.

Sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is stop a story with you.

Perhaps, as you read this, a name comes to mind. Someone you have been speaking about. Someone whose side you never heard. You may already have added your voice.

There is still an opportunity to respond differently. You can stop repeating it. You can tell the people you spoke to, “I said more than I actually knew.” You can ask forgiveness where your words have caused harm.

That may cost you some pride. But it could spare someone else a great deal of pain.

Before you join the anger, remember the person your words will reach.

Application:

Have you repeated something about someone that you do not know to be true? Stop passing it along, and correct what you have said. When someone shares their hurt, offer compassion without rushing to judgment.

Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for speaking before I understood. Help me remember the person behind the story and the damage my words can do. Give me humility to correct what I have said and love that listens carefully. Amen.