Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. Proverbs 16:32 (ESV)
This past week at the Oscars 2022, everyone is commenting on the altercation between the actor Will Smith and comedian Chris Rock. There have been so many articles, videos, tweets, podcasts, etc. about this opinion or that opinion. People seem to take sides and be either on Team Will or Team Chris.
However, I would like to pause and transition from that incident and use this opportunity for us to reflect on a personal level. I would like to ask the question: “How are you prepared when someone triggers your anger?” How are you going to react? It is easy to wag our fingers and shake our heads in disgust toward another’s actions. To condemn and criticize another individual on their behavior. However, what if it happens to you? If someone comes up to you, your spouse, your girlfriend/boyfriend, your child, and verbally assault them, how will you respond? Let’s imagine for a moment an individual verbally attacking your child in front of you. Your blood begins to boil, and your anger is at its height. How are you going to react? Are you going to be calm and cool at that moment? Or are you going to snap and “lose it”? And if you “lose it”, what does that look like for you?
Now, while we are calm and in a rational state of mind, is the time to assess who we are and what are our triggers. Now is the time to see if our triggers are being brought out due to past hurts and traumas, or due to current events. While we are in a rational state of mind, we need to seek to work on our mental, emotional, and spiritual selves. So that when our anger is triggered, we will be able to respond the way God would expect, as His children.
Every human being has the capacity to overreact to situations and to lash out when they are hurt and upset. And, it is definitely not good for that overreaction, to cause harm to another. As we develop in life and as our characters are forming, we need to consistently pray and study Jesus’ way of non-violence. We need to make sure our choices for our lives, are infused with God’s ideal characteristics.
We must all do the necessary work of managing our emotions, as well as our view of other individuals and the world in which we all inhabit. We need to continually keep ourselves before God and allow His principles to ruminate inside our hearts and our minds. Then, when we find ourselves in adverse situations hopefully, we will choose the high road. Prayerfully, we will choose to react in a way that truly pleases others, and God.
Blessings,
Angélique
To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com