heart of anger (book quote 8)

From The Heart of Anger, by Lou Priolo...

The best evidence that a Christian desires (loves) something more than he desires (loves) God, is his willingness to sin against God, either in order to acquire that desire or because he cannot acquire it.  "If ye love Me keep My commandments," Jesus said (John 14:15).  One of the most common sins that demonstrates the presence of inordinate desire is anger.  By having an angry child identify biblically the kind of sin that is associated with his anger, a parent can help him correct his anger not simply externally (i.e. temper tantrums, sarcasm, fighting, etc.) but internally (idolatry:  love of pleasure, love of money, love of praise, etc.) in his foolish heart, where the anger resides (p. 107, some emphases mine).