“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” -Ephesians 4:31-32

If we don’t speak when we feel angry – if we don’t tell a friend or tell the person that we’re angry with – we become passive aggressive in our behavior. Passive aggression is what happens when you feel angry with someone and you do things because you want them to read your mind. If you want people to read your mind, you’re being passive aggressive. Don’t do that. It looks like this – you want your son to do the dishes. He never does his dishes, so you wash all the dishes except his, set them aside and put a little post-it note on it that says “Bobby’s dishes.” You leave little hints that you’re angry because you want him to figure it out. Don’t do that. Just talk to him. Don’t be passive-aggressive; it’s not good. It only makes them more angry because they don’t understand that you are trying to get them to read your mind, they just feel like you’re being mean by putting notes everywhere. If you’re expecting people to read your mind, you’re being passive aggressive.

PRAYER:  Thank you, God, for giving us people that we can speak to about our anger. Help us to not become passive aggressive.

REFLECTION: Have you ever expected someone in your life to read your mind?