It’s Day 14, already, of the Proverbs Challenge and what a journey it’s been, so far! Who else is loving this ”challenge”?
Today, we are looking at Chapter 14, so I pray that God will open up your eyes and ears to His goodness this morning, to receive a more profound insight within His written Word
I love it when Scripture ”jumps” out of the pages at me because it means that God is trying to get my attention! Therefore, I am going to share on Proverbs 14:29:
“Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.”
Proverbs 14:29
My Thoughts: This was me…quick-tempered and angry to the core, but over the years, God has challenged me (to say the least) to keep asking that big old important question, ”why?” Why was I so angry at the situation at hand? Why was I angry at ____? But, in doing so, it has held me accountable to my feelings, because there is a big difference between righteous anger and anger that leads to sin
For those of you who haven’t heard the term ”folly” it means to have lack of good sense, or foolishness – therefore, verse 29 is saying that when we are quick-tempered it changes our thoughts to make right decisions, which ultimately mean, we act like fools within that situation
How many times did I act like a fool because I lost my temper? I have lost count, to be honest! However, I have learnt that to lose my temper or use foul language out of frustration, only talks of where my heart is at that time. Reflecting, my anger stemmed from wanting the approval of others, so I didn’t want to look weak, or out of control, because of the fear of rejection
Yet now, I walk in my true identity of a child of God, and therefore I know who I am. I don’t live in fear of rejection, because I am chosen, and loved
Therefore, God now holds my hand when I become quick-tempered, but it allows me to ask the questions straight away, as to whether my frustrations or anger is warranted? He puts my thoughts into perspective
My Reflection: So often our anger gets the better of us because of how we think we might look to others, or the expectation we have towards loved ones
But, we all stem from Adam and Eve, and therefore, we are all sinners. Hence why we need a saviour, found only in Jesus Christ. So when we get angry at a loved one, we need that reminder, to forgive or to show love and kindness, the way that God shows His mercies to us each day
A quick temper can be like a fire out of control, burning us and everyone in its path. Anger also divides people. It pushes us into hasty decisions that cause bitterness and guilt
But, as mentioned before, anger itself is not wrong, because God gave us this emotion as a legitimate reason for injustice and sin, yet it remembers – like God has taught me – to look for the cause
In other words, are we reacting to a situation that we need to set right, or is it to respond to a personal insult?
I’d love for you to show what Proverbs 14 has taught you?