Proverbs 22:24-25 - Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.
Anger can wreak havoc on both the body and soul, but its tentacles reach beyond the individual and wrap around everyone in close proximity. Bitter outbursts and silent resentment are not just our own personal issues.
An angry spirit is contagious. It is passed from one person to another—and from one generation to the next. Workplaces can become tense environments full of caustic words and attitudes. Ire turns homes into battlegrounds of verbal explosions or silent hostility. Even churches suffer from malicious gossip and fights over personal preferences.
God created us to live in fellowship with others, but anger can poison our relationships. Tragically, those closest to us are the ones who suffer the most. Children learn to respond to life's situations by observing their parents' example. They then develop similar attitudes and patterns of behavior. We need to give serious thought to what kind of heart we are passing down to our sons and daughters.
Thankfully, God is in the heart-changing business. Just as we learn an angry person's ways by association, so we can learn right-eous ways by walking closely with the Lord. Christ calls us to come, learn from Him—and find rest for our souls (Matt. 11:28-29).
Which would you prefer: churning anger or Christ's peace? Both require sacrifice. To maintain anger, you might have to forfeit healthy relationships and a godly heritage for your descendants. But to acquire peace, ask God to help you leave your grudges, personal rights, and insults on the altar.
5 comments:
Hey, maybe I figured why some guys aren't posting ;-/
lol, anyway, it is so true. negativity is the same way. I am pretty good at avoiding negativity, but I certainly could work on my temper. I defintely choose Christ's peace and will be working on laying that junk at the altar. Hope to see some of you fellas tonight at the talk.
blessings
c
read this. I'm such an easy-going guy that its not typically a problem for me. Where I get into trouble is if I allow things to build up and I allow my frustration to mount. If I'm not proactive in dealing with my frustration then I'm headed for an episode of a sharp toungue lashing that I would wish upon no one.
>>silent resentment...
ouch! that's sometimes an issue for me, so i need to be held accountable on that one.
trm, if you need to let loose with tongue lashing, you can head my way - i would never take you too seriously.
tba
I think this is truly the best way to separate yoursaelf as a christian businessman. How do you deal with conflict, and how do you deal with internal competitors.there is so much backstabbing in business. How we deal with situations where others see we are "justified" in our anger, can set us apart.
I have dealt with that by processing my anger at home by discussing things with my wife, but this makes me think about how I might want to do that differently in front of my kids.
cas: or maybe you're trying to tell us something... :)
In all seriousness, I struggled with this awhile ago at home with my wife and mother-in-law, and its true, it is very contagious, and more importantly it spreads within us. I got just angry (inside) at everyone, when I was more frustrated with one person. Definitely need to find an outlet (not in front of the kids) to vent-my wife and I have Dunkin Donut's dates where we go from 6-620 in the mroning and talk about everything.
Have a blessed day,
crb
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