Proverbs Part XIII-From Hot Head to Cool Cucumber

Heading to vacation in the morning, so just a quick outline recap of what we learned last night about how to avoid anger and why we should root anger out of our lives:

The Art of the Anger Free Response:

1. The Slow Response...
a. Ignores (Proverbs 12:16)
b. Waits for understanding (Proverbs 14:29-30)
c. Brings Peace (Proverbs 15:18)
d. Stops and Thinks (Proverbs 15:28)
e. Controls the Situation (Proverbs 16:32)
f. Submits to God’s Authority (Proverbs 20:22; 24:29; Romans 12:19-21)

2. The Soft Response...
a. Diffuses (Proverbs 15:1; 29:8)
b. Shows Restraint (Proverbs 17:27)
c. Limits Venting (Proverbs 29:11)
Note: This does not mean we should bottle up our feelings. We need to pray that the Holy Spirit will bring us to the point of realizing that our feelings are deceptive! Only vent when it won’t cause “residual anger” and to someone you can trust just to listen and not rile you back up; walk away for a minute and pray; quote scripture to yourself;

3. The Shelter Response...
a. Covers sin with love (Proverbs 17:9; 1 Peter 4:8)
b. Protects Unity (Proverbs 17:9)
c. Forgives (Proverbs 19:11)
d. Avoids (Proverbs 20:3)

Why we should avoid anger:

1. Hard to stop a fight once it starts-Proverbs 17:14
(Here is a fun video for your viewing pleasure illustrating how hard it is even for a boxing ref to stop a fight once it gets started)


2. Brings Discipline-Proverbs 19:19; 18:6-7-mouth of a fool invites a beating and ensnare the soul

3. Ends Relationships-Proverbs 22:10-11-need to remove the one who causes anger from the relationship

4. Anger spreads easily-Proverbs 22:24-25-hang around people given to anger & become like them!

5. Breeds Sin (in you and others)-Proverbs 17:19; 29:22-angry people cause other people to sin

What about You?
What are those times in your life that you find it easy to respond in anger. Start by writing down some specifics. Pray that the Holy Spirit will remind you of the things we have talked about tonight as you find yourself in those “anger making” situations.

This week, as school wraps up, and in the next couple of weeks with the excitement, but weariness of the holidays, determine to have a slow, soft, and sheltered response to your parents, teachers, siblings, and friends in every irritating and anger producing situation. You have to start somewhere if you want the holy spirit to remove anger from your heart!