Quick-Tempered

May 30

2 Samuel 5-6

Psalm 67:5-7

Proverbs 14:28-29

John 20

Quick-Tempered

“He who is slow to anger has great discernment, but he who is quick-tempered raises up folly.” Proverbs 14:29 LSB

Anger has the potential to damage and destroy families, friendships and work relationships in ways that leave deep wounds and permanent scars.  A quick temper is ultimately a lack of self-control. Those who are quick-tempered react with no thought of consequence.  The slightest spark can ignite a virtual wildfire.  This could manifest itself in physical assault or abuse, but more often comes out in angry insults, accusations and name-calling.  “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me” is not true.  It is unknown who came up with this phrase often taught to children as a defense against name-calling, but whoever came up with it had no idea what they were talking about.  Bruises and broken bones heal, but words cut deep and cause emotional scars that can last a lifetime.  It doesn’t take much to recall hurtful words or names that were said to us years ago.  Something can trigger a memory and we experience the flood of emotion and pain we felt when the words were first spoken.  We may not have seen the person in years, but their words can still haunt us.  The words may not even be true, but still they sting.  Maybe we were the person that spoke the hurtful words and later regretted it.  Unfortunately, once words are spoken they can’t be taken back.  We can apologize and receive forgiveness, but the memory of them still exists. 

In James 1:19, we find an echo of Solomon’s wisdom from vs. 29, “But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”  Self-control and discernment are the key to managing anger.  It is easy to explode and fly off the handle when someone makes us angry.  We can rationalize our actions or make excuses for our behavior deflecting the blame on others, but in the end we come out looking like a fool.  Regardless of the actions of the person who made us angry, we are the one that looks bad.  Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit.  The more the Holy Spirit is manifesting Himself in and through us the less we will be characterized by a lack of self-control.  Angry outbursts should not be a part of the life of the believer.  No matter what the offense, the right solution is always to calm down, take a breath, pray and contemplate how you should respond.  Speaking words in haste without considering the consequences never turns out the way we hope.  It just adds fuel to the fire and makes the situation worse.   If this is a struggle for you, ask God for self-control and discernment.  If there are certain people or situations that seem to trigger emotions that result in outbursts of anger, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal those so He can begin to work in your heart to replace those reactions with reflective responses.