Angry?

Angry?

It seems so easy to get upset and allow anger to bubble out of us and pop on those nearby.

Just recently I was waiting to have my son's picture taken for baseball at this building not to far away from me. I stood in the line for an extended amount of time. I didn't concern myself with it too much since it was such a nice day and the breeze was blowing just right. But, I eventually learned that I had to fill out a form and then wait for my name to be called. Okay, no problem. I filled out the form and waited.... longer. Thankfully I knew several people who were there. I talked, I listened, I enjoyed the company. Then I realized I had been standing around for, what I considered, a relatively long time. At this point there was no line and people were standing in various places waiting. Then I noticed that some of the people who were there after me had already had their pictures taken and they were headed to their car.

Do you see where I'm going with this. Waiting, waiting, waiting. How did I miss my name being called? Hold on. No one has ever come outside and yelled a name. What are they doing in there?

I eventually headed into the building to find out what in the world of going on. By the way, there was hardly any room in this building and that's why so many were standing outside. Nevertheless, I heard a lady call a name, then another name, and another. But no one outside would ever hear the name called. I now see what the problem is. 

As I was hovering just inside the door someone asked me how long I had been here, I said, "one and a half hours." This other person said to the lady in charge as he pointed at me, "this guy has been here for one and a half hours." Well, needless to say, my son eventually got his picture taken about fifteen minutes after the announcement.

Throughout this process, which wasn't really THAT bad, I was reminded of something profound. "Are you going to practice what you preach?" I read God's Word, I preach and teach God's Word. But, what am I going to do with it? Well, the answer was obvious. 

We have little and big upsets in life. Those things that don't allow us to have our way when we want our way. Those inconveniences, those irritations, those things that seem unfair. They are always going to be there. That's a given. But how will I, how will you, handle them?

Consider the following:

"A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man holds it back." (Prov. 29:11)

"...wise men turn away anger." (Prov. 29:8b)

Anger must not dictate our response. It must not be allowed to bubble out and pop on those around us. It needs to be controlled. Always controlled.