Posted November 10, 2010 By Joey Hughes
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where no matter what you could think of, the response would be one that was all wrong? Well, based on a recent experience, here’s a little advice. Before you say anything, before it gets out of hand…walk away and don’t come back until you can come up with a good response or don’t come back to it at all. “A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.” (Proverbs 19:11 NASB)
I was insulted and I have to admit, irate. The individual “confronting” me had it all wrong but, my emotions got the best of me; I flew off the handle and lost control. Now, I can try to justify it but, however you look at it my reaction to what happened was completely wrong. Colossians 3:15 says, “…let the peace of God act as referee in your emotions and your decisions.” (Paraphrased) And let’s just say peace was nowhere close to being part of the equation.
We all have opportunities to “fly off the handle”, to “set the record straight” or to just “go off“. But there is a concept that will serve you well if followed, the “Principle of Prior Choice”. Before an occasion presents itself, make a decision that when given the opportunity, your response will not be to “fly off the handle” or feel the need to “set the record straight” but be “…quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (James 1:18-20 NASB)
Proverbs 16:32 says, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city”. So YOU rule your spirit and like everything else God instructs us to do, it brings great reward and keeps you from looking like an idiot in the process…(BTW, idiot was a personal reference, LOL!)
Michelle M.
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