Proverbs 19:11 Good Sense
One who has good sense is slow to take offense. Solomon tells us that there is glory for the man who exercises patience and forgiveness.
We are at another stand-alone proverb. We have seen others like this one. There are still more to come on this same topic. After Googling how many proverbs there are relating to a quick temper, I counted nine. I would venture to say that God is concerned about our tempers. Let’s see where the Spirit takes us on this journey today.
Have you ever noticed how many times trouble is the result of a rampant temper? Road rage, manslaughter, mass shootings ALL have a common element of a temper gone awry. This is the adult version. Let’s look at the kids section. Schoolyard fights, sibling rivalry, even blow ups against a parent are children’s tempers flaring. On a grander scale, wars are the result of tempers out of control. Even divorce is often the end product of tempers.
I know I had a serious temper as a child and adolescent. My oldest brother was often the one to start it rolling and I let him ‘have it’ as a result. There were MANY ‘cause and effect’ sequences in our home (when our parents were out mostly). I have learned to control it much better over the years but it still crops up from time to time in the form of an angry tone of voice. At least it is not physical anymore. I definitely still get frustrated. That’s usually when my voice is harshest.
EVERYONE gets angry. It is a physiological response to stressing stimuli. This can be events taking place around you or something happening internally. Your anger level is directly related to your interpretation of the events or feelings. What we do next is dependent on how we have learned to react in the past and if you have taken any steps to learn different responses. Those with little control/short fuses have very little time between feelings of anger and our response. Some people have physical responses where they lash out with violence. Others use words to express their anger. Others hide it and use sneaky tricks means to express their anger. Some push their anger deep inside and turn it against themselves. And others still learn to use it for positive change.
God is telling us to learn to take time between the feeling and response. He wants us to be like the last group of people. This is something that you have to practice and be diligent with. It is something that God’s Spirit works with us on. But we have to be willing to let Him. Ask Him to quiet your heart. To give you constructive ways to release the anger that does come, because there will be anger. It is a natural part of us. But how we express it is up to us to decide. Decide carefully because it does matter. It matters to God and it matters to our future. And it matters to our witness for God.
Paul instructs the church at Ephesus to be angry and sin not. Jesus gave us an example of this in action on several occasions. The most memorable one was when He cleared the Temple with a whip. His anger at what they were doing to His Father’s house compelled Him to act. He took time as he braided the whip to solidify His plan of action. This time called for action because there would be no remedy without it. Talking with them would NOT get the job done.
I have NO DOUBT that Jesus was angry with the Pharisees many times. He didn’t use physical actions when they tried to impress their views on Him. He use word to debate and discredit them. He could not have done this if He let His anger boil over. He would have lost the argument before it even started because His testimony would have been ruined. And He won EVERY battle with them; until HE decided to ‘lose’.
Father God, THANK YOU for all the work You have already accomplished in me. I know I still have a long way to go before all my anger is under Your direction. Thank You that I can use my frustration constructively instead of destructively. THANK YOU that You help me find ways to enhance peace too.
You have opened my eyes to how much more can be accomplished with cooler heads than hot ones. Whatever I do, let it be a reflection of Your Spirit working in me. Whether I stand and use my anger constructively or promote peace, let it reflect YOU will. Let me be a witness for You in all I do.
