In Strictness and Health
Tuesday, December 20, 2016I do not like being angry. It is the feeling that I hate most in the world. I feel bad after showing my anger at someone. Most people would ...
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
I do not like being angry. It is the feeling that I hate most in the world. I feel bad after showing my anger at someone. Most people would say that it is normal to be angry and that it is healthy to be angry sometimes. Being an introvert does not necessarily mean that there will be less chances of showing anger. Actually, it is dangerous an introverted person to be angry because he/she does not let out his/her feelings as often as an extroverted person does. But when the times comes, an outburst happens.
I always pray to God about anger. The Bible has several verses about it that I have held on to all these years. These verses guide me in how to manage my anger. It helps me respond to someone or something in an appropriate or respectful manner, one that leads me away from hurting another person or even myself.
1. Anger leads to sin.
2. Be slow in anger.
3. Choose to be gentle.
4. Be quick to understand.
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly. (Proverbs 14:29)
5. People enjoy being with people who are not easily angered.
Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered. (Proverbs 22:24)
6. God delights in those who refrains from anger.
Last November, I was conducting my data gathering. One of my students and I had an incident during a reading lesson. He was making too much jokes. To me, he seemed to be not taking the lesson seriously. So, when he started joking for the nth time on that day, I became stern. This meant raising my voice a little higher than usual and giving him my most serious face. He freaked out a bit because he did not like me being mad. He was a former student too and he saw me strict and mad many times. I did not have a choice and impose my authority over him. He declined and apologized. After the lesson, we talked over it. I also apologized for raising my voice and being stern but I also explained that I would not be like that if I did not see something was going wrong. He explained that he really likes making jokes but he went overboard.
After the session, I felt emotionally unhealthy. I felt that something was wrong with my heart too. When I came home and watched the video of our session, I realized a very important lesson. If I just ignored what he did, our lesson would go smoother and we would have ended on time. I thank God that the discussion and his understanding of the story was not affected by it. But I could have let that slip until the end of the lesson. At least, we could have addressed the issue more appropriately.
As much as I wanted to teach the student a lesson on when or how to make jokes, I was also being guided by God on how to respond in gentleness, patience, and understanding. Being strict helps in disciplining students and correcting their misbehaviors. But having a follow-up for the reason why they have to undergo a disciplinary action is healthy.
I always pray to God about anger. The Bible has several verses about it that I have held on to all these years. These verses guide me in how to manage my anger. It helps me respond to someone or something in an appropriate or respectful manner, one that leads me away from hurting another person or even myself.
1. Anger leads to sin.
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." (Ephesians 4:26 and 31)
2. Be slow in anger.
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19-20)
3. Choose to be gentle.
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1
4. Be quick to understand.
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly. (Proverbs 14:29)
5. People enjoy being with people who are not easily angered.
Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered. (Proverbs 22:24)
6. God delights in those who refrains from anger.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. (Psalm 37:8-9)
After the session, I felt emotionally unhealthy. I felt that something was wrong with my heart too. When I came home and watched the video of our session, I realized a very important lesson. If I just ignored what he did, our lesson would go smoother and we would have ended on time. I thank God that the discussion and his understanding of the story was not affected by it. But I could have let that slip until the end of the lesson. At least, we could have addressed the issue more appropriately.
As much as I wanted to teach the student a lesson on when or how to make jokes, I was also being guided by God on how to respond in gentleness, patience, and understanding. Being strict helps in disciplining students and correcting their misbehaviors. But having a follow-up for the reason why they have to undergo a disciplinary action is healthy.
