The Tongue of the Wise
In my newsletter this week, I would like to ask how you would classify yourself when you get angry. Now we all know that anger is a human response that most endure at some point or another. However, how we express anger makes a difference in the lives of others and in our own life. Google states that “some people who fly into rages have low self-esteem, and use their anger as a way to manipulate others and feel powerful.” Likewise, did you know that the consequences for how we display anger can affect our over-all well-being as well as the relationships that we encounter? Would you say your emotions leads you to be explosive, or are you one who demonstrates a more assertive style of anger? If you are not sure, let’s look at the definition of explosive. According to Google, “Explosive means an impulse-control disorder characterized by sudden episodes of unwarranted anger. The disorder is typified by hostility, impulsivity, and recurrent aggressive outbursts.” In contrast, “assertive anger is when you take control of the situation and your emotions and try to communicate them to the relevant people in a way that’s respectful and considerate. At the most basic level, it comes down to thinking before you speak.” When we look at the Scripture below, we are reminded that the righteous think before they speak as well, and the wicked act on impulse. Did you know when we react out of impulse, we ease into the category of being wicked? The behavior keeps us separated from God. But, when we are walking the path of righteousness, we are drawing near to God. In the Bible, James 3:17-18 communicates how we are to embrace our anger. Does this describe you or is this an area that you need to work on? Finally remember Proverbs 15:4 this Scripture speaks louder than words. He wants us to convey that good words help us grow, they have power and we are commanded to use them wisely. Will you re-evaluate the way you respond and make a change so you will emulate the character of Christ while representing the Kingdom well? The choice is yours!
The mind of the righteous person thinks before answering, but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things. The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
15:28-29
Chaplain Tracey Burns
Reflection Questions:
What style of anger would you, your family, your friends or your coworkers say you model?
Would they say that you demonstrate hostility and are aggressive or do you show self-control and respect?
Are you willing to admit that you need to change your behavior?
How will you alter these actions going forward?
Bonus: Great song (if you are interested) - Let us follow the example of Christ and emulate his character and remember “when You Speak” it matters!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P6PnCaSnRk&ab_channel=JeremyCampVEVO