Good Sense and Anger

For Monday, November 20, 2006
Proverbs 19:11

Good sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Here is a good measure for how much good sense you have. How do you respond to offenses? Are you quick to retaliate? Do you quickly throw back a verbal jab? Do you get easily flustered? Do you dash off curt emails? Then good sense is lacking.

What is the connection between good sense and controling one's temper? For one thing, the person with good sense understands that angry responses are more likely to worsen a given situation, rather than resolve it. Because he knows his goal is to bring resolution and understanding to the matter at hand, he controls his temper.

Also, the person with good sense understands what should and should not bother him. Injustice committed against those who cannot defend themselves will make him quick to be angry. Personal offenses thrown at him by those who are foolish or by those caught in a foolish moment will have little affect on him. Such offenses have no weight and thus will not harm a person with good sense.

So today, when a car pulls in front of you; when the co-worker at the office makes a curt remark; when you get a silly email, show good sense. Show that what really matters to you is the regard of Christ for you, who is your model for one who knew his goal and loved his Father, and thus could endure the foolish offenses of many.