DON’T LET OTHERS GET YOUR TINSEL IN A TANGLE

by Tammy Phillips
December 18, 2021

“Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:9 CSB)

Don’t be angry when…

• a car cuts you off.
• people are stupid.
• your child does not do as you asked.
• your spouse is angry.
• someone offends you.

Can you name one time that anger served you well?   I cannot.  To be angry is to be troubled, displeased, irritated, and offended.   I was raised in an angry household.  Sadly, I raised my boys in an angry household.  I was an angry discipliner because that is what I learned.  Discipline should not be done in anger.  It makes me sick to think how long I let anger rule in my life.  My stepfather lived to be angry.  Of course, he grew up in an angry house, where he was told that he was hated.  His mother told him that she wished he had never been born.  I pray that my boys break the angry cycle in their homes.  I am still learning that anger is not the answer.  Does it ever feel good to be angry? No. it is harmful to both parties, the giver, and the receiver. 

“Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret–[it] only [causes] harm.” (Psalm 37:8 NKJV)

Anger is  manure in the mind.  It breeds hate, offense, resentment, indifference, and vengeance, just to name a few.  Solomon tells us not to hurry to anger.  When we exercise self-control in situations where we want to hasten to anger, we douse the fire the enemy is trying to start within us.  In self-control, we evict, execute, and kick anger to the curb.   

“A patient person shows great understanding, but a quick-tempered one promotes foolishness.” (Proverbs 14:29 CSB)

I don’t know about you, but I do not want to be foolish, nor do I want to give anger a place to live. 

I enCOURAGE you to be slow to anger. Be even tempered.  Exercise favor when favor may not be what is deserved.  It will reduce the hurt in your life and the lives of others.   Jesus did it for us.  We need to pass it on.

“The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory [is] to overlook a transgression.” (Proverbs 19:11 NKJV)

P.S.   I wrote this and went to look for an old pic of me as a toddler pouting in a corner.  I hadn’t even posted this yet.   My husband had no idea what I was writing.  He told me a story about a stupid person.  I went to angry faster than a blinking eye and then I laughed.  I knew the opportunity to “practice  what I preach” would come.  Just didn’t think it would come so fast.  I let it go as fast as it was given.  

“Don’t let others get your tinsel in a tangle.  Stay jolly.” -Susy Himed