TAMING MY TEMPER

“A fool gives full vent to his anger,
but a wise man keeps himself under control.”
(Proverbs 29:11) 

Alexander the Great, in a fit of rage, struck his favorite general one day and killed his best friend.  He cried out, “I’ve conquered the world, but I can’t even conquer my own soul.”  An uncontrolled temper has brought down many great people throughout history.

The average man loses his temper 6 times per week; the average woman loses her temper 3 times per week.  Men tend to be more physical with their anger; while women tend to be more verbal.

So, is anger a sin?  In Ephesians 4:26 Paul instructs us, “In your anger, do not sin…”  Apparently, anger is not necessarily sinful.  In fact, Jesus got angry a couple times.  He even made a whip and threw some money-changers out of the Temple courts.  But, how you express your anger can be very hurtful or sinful.

Some authors have suggested that everybody tends to be a skunk or a turtle.  If you’re a skunk, when you get angry, you just blow up and spray your anger all over the room.  If you’re a turtle, when you get upset, you withdraw into your shell and stuff all your feelings in.  Both responses are unhealthy and hurtful.  Skunks tend to blow up and hurt other people, while turtles internalize their feelings and hurt themselves.  So a wise person learns how to tame his temper and manage his anger.  Here are five tips from Solomon on anger management from the book of Proverbs… 

• Resolve to control your anger  (29:11)
• Remember the cost  (29:22)
• Reflect before reacting  (17:27)
• Restrain your remarks  (21:23)
• Release your anger appropriately  (15:1) 

Which is better?  Conquering the world or conquering my own soul? 

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for creating me in Your image.
You gave me an intellect with which to know You,
emotions with which to love You,
and a will with which I can choose to follow You.
Give me the desire to know You and love You more and more
and the courage to follow You wholeheartedly.
In Jesus name, Amen.

MANAGING MY MOUTH

“He who guards his lips guards his life,
but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”
(Proverbs 13:3)

Did you know that the average individual speaks enough words in one year to fill 66 books, 800 pages long?  The average man speaks about 15,000 words a day; the average woman speaks about 30,000 words a day.  On an average Sunday, 55 million Americans listen to 400,000 preachers deliver over 1 billion words.  We are a nation of talkers – talk shows, talk-radio, wireless phones, cell pones, chat lines, etc.  Is it any wonder our mouths get us into so much trouble?  We love to talk!

Proverbs has a lot to say about our mouths.  In fact, there are over 120 verses in Proverbs that address some aspect of our speech.  Here are a few examples…

• 12:18 – “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
• 12:19 – “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.”
• 15:1 – “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
• 15:2 – “The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.”
• 20:19 – “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.”
• 21:23 – “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.”

How many different ways can you identify that your mouth can get you in trouble?  If we want to avoid the pitfalls that accompany our mouths, we must learn to manage our mouths.  Fortunately, Solomon gives some advice on how to manage my mouth.  Here are four suggestions…

• Think before you speak  (engage your mind before putting your mouth in gear)
• Speak the truth
• Speak in love
• Reprogram your heart

I believe that last suggestion is the most important, because your mouth is only a reflection of your heart.  Jesus said, “For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).   The best way to manage your mouth is to reprogram your heart with God’s Word.  

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the Bible.  Your Word is truth!
“May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart
be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
In Jesus name, Amen.”

A GOOD REPUTATION

“A good name is more desirable than great riches;
To be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”
(Proverbs 22:1) 

What kind of reputation do the following individuals have in your mind?

- Abraham Lincoln
- Bill Clinton
- Adolf Hitler
- Fidel Castro
- Bill Gates
- Mother Teresa

Whether good or bad, our reputation follows us wherever we go, even after we die.  With our present economy, it’s hard to imagine that anything might be more valuable than silver or gold; but the wisest man who ever lived (Solomon) suggested that a good name – a good reputation – is more valuable than great wealth. 

So, how do we build a good reputation?  First we must recognize that a good reputation is much different than status.  While status may be expensive, it’s relatively simple:  wear designer labels, live in a ritzy neighborhood, drive a Porsche, dine at the finest restaurants, and attend the opera and symphony.  In other words, you can buy it, wear it, drive it, live in it, eat it, or attend it.  But, a good reputation isn’t that easy. 

So, how do we build a good reputation?  In the book of Proverbs, Solomon offers a few suggestions on building and maintaining a good name.  A good reputation is built on character, rather than image.  Several character traits jump off the pages of Proverbs at us – things like integrity, kindness, generosity, and humility.  And those four character traits also suggest a few things that will destroy a reputation – things like dishonesty, anger and fighting, selfishness and greed, and pride.

How is your reputation?  With your family?  In your neighborhood?  On the job?  With your friends?  As God’s children, let’s live up to His name!

 Yahweh,
Your name encompasses all that You are.
You are a God of holiness and truth, and a God of love and compassion.
May I live up to your name?  May my life reflect Your character in all I do?
May others see Jesus in me!
In His name, Amen.