“A hot-tempered man … gets into all kinds of trouble.” (Proverbs
29:22 TLB)
Anger has a price tag. When you realize that truth, you’re more likely to control the anger in your life. The Bible tells us, “A
hot-tempered man … gets into all kinds of trouble” (Proverbs 29:22 TLB). Most of us have seen someone do something really stupid
because that person was angry.
The Bible is very specific on the cost of anger. The Bible says:
- It causes arguments (Proverbs 15:18).
- It causes mistakes (Proverbs 14:29).
- It causes foolish things (Proverbs 14:17).
You’ve probably seen all of
these results from your own anger and the anger of others. The Bible is
also clear on the ultimate conclusion of
our inappropriately expressed anger. Proverbs 11:29 says, “The fool who
provokes his family to anger and resentment will finally have nothing
worthwhile left.”
Think of the impact anger has on
your family. As parents, we’re often tempted to use anger to motivate
our children. It works in the
short-term. When you get angry, you put the fear of God (or the fear of
you) into your children. Your kids may give you short-term obedience,
but
you’ll lose in the long-term.
The end result of misplaced
anger is alienation. You alienate the very people you love the most.
Eventually, you’ll get more anger back and
finally just apathy. No one wants to be around you.
The truth is, you always lose
when you lose your temper. You may lose your reputation, your job, your
children, or the love of your husband or wife
when you don’t control your anger.
And it’s never worth that price tag.
ACTION POINTS
- What are some examples of people you’ve seen become alienated from others because of their anger?
- If you’ve sometimes exhibited misplaced anger, what were the costs in your life?
- What is a practical way you can deal with your anger so that it does not cause pain for you or the people around you?
Credit: Pastor Rick Warren