“What Are You Mad About Today, Eddie?”

When Ruth and I were dating, she was working at a radio station where her dad was the manager. They hosted a daily call-in radio show entitled “What are you mad about today, Eddie?” Eddie would call in and share his current complaints about the weather, traffic, corn prices, and other rural life issues (context: northwest Iowa). It had a humorous twist to it each episode, but often with a real concern to ponder. Sometimes his commentary made you smile, while other times brought out empathic angst…especially when what Eddie was mad about was what made you mad too.
 
If asked to answer the question today, what would be your response? “What are you mad about today?”
 
Perhaps you’re mad about big issues like the war in Ukraine, political upheaval in Haiti or central Africa, or racial, political or religious division in our own homeland. Maybe it’s poverty or sex trafficking. Economic discrepancies or social injustices. Everywhere you look, there seems to be yet another issue to be concerned or perhaps even mad about.
 
Or, it might actually be somewhat smaller issues that enrage you, like people who park carelessly and take up a second spot in a busy lot. Or, assembling something with confusing instructions or missing that one essential part. How about inflated prices on your auto or home insurance? Or, closer to home, the petty smallness exhibited on social media related to someone you thought had some etiquette at best or basic scruples at a minimum.
 
What do we do with what maddens us? How do we hold these issues prayerfully, lovingly, even forgivingly? Is it ok to be mad?
 
Last night I could barely sleep because of a relational issue that makes me mad…and sad. If I told you the details perhaps you’d have some advice to offer. I may or may not be ready to hear what you suggest. Perhaps I’d welcome the counsel if I knew you were truly listening. All I know is that this concern also makes me mad. And I believe it makes God mad too. There, I said it…
 
It’s ok to hate what God hates and be mad about what hurts the heart of God. It’s fine to name it. God doesn’t like war or disunity or injustice, nor does he like poverty or sex trafficking. I believe these issues make him mad. They aren’t funny and left to their rotting influence upon our culture and society, the enemy of our soul appears like the winner.
 
But, our faith in Jesus leads us to believe otherwise. The issues of our day (large or small) that make us legitimately mad also make Jesus mad. The question is: how do we handle our mad-ness?
 
Perhaps the way forward is as simple as prayer. As profound as humility. As transformational as forgiveness. Right where you live, and among those you know. Is there a broken relationship that needs to be mended? Don’t get mad or seek to get even, but instead: outdo one another with love.  Is your madness actually something God is inviting you to release? Aargh…now it makes me mad that I don’t always choose a godly response!
 
Lord, have mercy. Take what I’m mad about, redeem the pain and suffering inflicted upon another, and be glorified in the deliverance you delight to give. Amen.
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Steve Macchia

Founder & President

The Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Macchia is founder and president of Leadership Transformations, Inc. (LTI), a ministry serving the spiritual formation, discernment, and renewal of leaders and learners since 2003. For more than 20 years he has been the Director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Doctor of Ministry Program. From 1989-2003 he was the president of Vision New England, the largest regional church renewal association in the country. Earlier in his ministry life, Steve was a member of the pastoral staff of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts for 11 years. He is the author or co-author of 17 books, including The Discerning Life (Zondervan Reflective), and Crafting a Rule of Life, Becoming A Healthy Church (LTI), and Broken and Whole (IVP).  He and his wife Ruth live in the Boston (MA) area and are the proud parents of two married children and grandparents to three adorable grandchildren. Steve’s personal website is www.SteveMacchia.com.

My soul comes alive singing the great hymns of the church and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. I’m in awe of God for fulfilling the dream for LTI that he birthed in my heart, for the team he has assembled, and the transformational impact experienced in the leaders and teams we serve.

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Mitzi Mak

Selah-West Faculty & Emmaus Faculty

Mitzi started her professional life as a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband Jerry then served cross-culturally for ten+ years, living abroad first in India and then Kurdistan, N. Iraq. In addition to being a Spiritual Director, she now serves as a Formation and Care pastor in her local church in Houston, TX. She has graduated from LTI’s Selah Spiritual Direction training as well as LTI’s Emmaus Formational Leadership Program.

Mitzi enjoys engaging conversation, reading fiction, doing jigsaw/crossword puzzles, ocean gazing and exploring the world with Jerry through food and travel.

God has two main callings in Mitzi’s life: to care for those who care for others and to be a guide in helping others have a healthy relationship with the Trinity – recognizing God’s loving presence and activity in their lives and how to faithfully respond.

Selah was a transformative experience for me – allowing the contemplative within to emerge and to beautifully co-exist with my extraverted personality.