‘A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but one slow to anger calms strife’ (Proverbs 15:18)
The world seems to be becoming an angrier place. Or at least the anger is more evident, especially on social media where it’s easy to react. More than once I’ve regretted posting something on Facebook in a burst of hot self-righteousness! Whether it’s online, in traffic or in person, a quick, hot-tempered reaction can wreak all sorts of havoc in the lives of others and come back to bite us.
It’s challenging to stay calm when temperatures are rising, but if we can manage our emotions in an emotionally charged situation, we can be a force for good, saving tears, relationships and even lives. That’s not to say there’s not a time to respond, even in anger, the key is to be slow to anger and look at the alternatives first.
So how can we do that? 3 simple things that I find helpful (at least in theory, when I remember to do them) when temperatures start to rise are:
When you’re confronted by a hot-tempered person, may the peace of God dwell in you!