"People With Understanding..."

Scripture Passage

Proverbs 14:1-16:33

Scripture Focus

People with understanding control their anger;
       a hot temper shows great foolishness.
                                  (Proverbs 14:29 NLT)

Observation

One fellow—a professing believer—was explaining to the Lord why he’d failed (again) to control his temper. “Now, Lord,” he said, “you know my granddad was a hothead…and my dad was a hothead…and you can’t really expect me to do any better—I’m only doing what I learned from my father.”

The man said immediately he sensed the Lord say something like this: “I thought when you gave your heart to me, I became your Father.”

Ouch.

Hey—I’m a guy, and as guilty as any of letting my temper fly when I should have reeled it in. So I’m warned by this word from Proverbs (and I hate that—‘cause I’ll likely be put to the test on it now) about the foolishness of hotheadedness and the wisdom of self-control.

“People with understanding control their anger,” the proverb says.

I think that’s an interesting phrase, because sometimes the biggest challenge I face is holding on to my temper long enough to figure out what I’m really angry about. Perhaps if I’ll take the time to sort out and diffuse the emotion of any given circumstance, I’d be more likely to control…manage well…navigate better…every emotion, including anger.

“Lord, your word recognizes anger as a legitimate emotion—but challenges me, ‘In your anger do not sin’ (Eph 4:26 NIV). Grow me as a person of understand who controls—instead of being controlled by—his anger.”