Don’t be too quick to get angry
because anger lives in the fool’s heart.
Ecclesiastes 7:9
We argue and fight for any number of stupid reasons, let's be honest. Sadly, these altercations don't really resolve anything. They do tend to make divisions even more prevalent. They do tend to make the participants look less than the brightest candle on the cake. So why are we so quick to be offended and angry? Why are we so quick to jump from discussion to brawl?
We have learned somewhere along the way that if you poke me in the eye, then I will shoot you in the head and believe I win (from inside the prison cell). We seem to have lost the ability to articulate and reason together. We seem to have lost the ability to have respect for others or ourselves for that matter. We are quick to DEMAND respect, instead of earning it. We are also quick to disrespect others who disagree with us.
Notice the verse doesn't say "Don't get angry" because there are times when we should be angry (when a child is abused or an elderly person is attacked). The verse says "Don't be too quick to get angry." Count to 10 (as my Grampa used to say). Take a stick and whack a tree with it. Go chop some firewood. Go for a run or walk. Why? Because we, as humans, are very prone to knee-jerk reactions instead of planned actions. It's easier to escalate than to discuss. It's easier to talk over everyone else than to actually listen to their point of view.
Easy is not always the best!
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