Hook
Get a each student a Styrofoam plate and a sharp object (pen, scissors, etc). Get your students to recall the times this week when they are angry and how they reacted.

For each time they lost their temper (use foul language and curses, say hurtful words, badmouth about the other person to your friends, scream and yell, hit, slap, scratch, or push somebody, slam doors or throw things, get mad at people who have nothing to do with the situation, destroy property, do nothing and keep it inside, etc), make a hole in the object.

If they cannot think of anything, ask them to think back further and remind them that they are not angels. =]

Explanation of the Hook
Explain that the multiple holes made in the plate are like the scars we leave behind when we say hurtful words or do things in a fit of anger that we later regret. Even when we stop being angry with a person, the holes still stay. We cannot undo what we did. Another good analogy is 'betrayal'. You can forgive your friend for betraying you... but you won't trust the person easily again. Therefore, it is important to handle our feelings properly. Our feelings can affect other people and it is not just anger that is bad and destructive.

Read Matt 5:21-22. As Christians are we allowed to get emotional? (general) After all emotions can result in very negative consequences. Is it OK or sinful for Christians to get angry? (specific)

Of course we can have emotions. Christians are also humans. God created His people with deep emotions. Even Jesus got angry (Matthew 21:12-13) and Jesus got sad (John 11: 32-36). You might think Jesus is a perfect man, and therefore His emotion would always be under control. But actually that's not true. From the verses we see that emotions are natural and we don’t need to be ashamed of them.

But why do we get angry?

Ask them to each list 3 things that make them extremely angry.

When we are angry, we must ask ourselves if our anger is righteous anger. That is to say, do we have the right to be angry and whether we are angry about the right thing?

When we have been wronged, our anger may feel justified - but if our response should never be sinful (Eph 4:26). How we express our anger is very important.

Ask them to think of a positive way they can express their anger.

We shouldn't try to SOAK IT UP or one day we will overheat and explode. Instead we should give our inappropriate feelings to God and ask him to help us deal with it (just like all the Psalmists did.)

Cover "What God says about: Wrong feelings / Right feelings" from Love Joy Peace. This will show them that there is a right and wrong expression of most emotions and not just anger.

In conclusion, Don't let your emotions control you. Turn to God for help in handling your emotions. After all... If you can't trust him with your emotions, how can you say you trust him with your life? Jesus is most certainty willing and able to help you. *Romans 8:32*

Link to teacher's guide / optional quiz