Speaking of succumbing to stress, several celebrities have lost their marbles in a highly publicized fashion this past week. In case you have a life and don't keep up with pop culture, allow me fill you in briefly:
~Kanye West, a rap/hip hop musician, yanked the microphone out of another singer's hand as she was accepting a Video Music Award and proceeded to tell everybody that she didn't deserve the award.
~A South Carolina House member shouted "You Lie!" at the top of his lungs in the middle of the President's speech.
~Tennis star Serena Williams yelled at a line referee during the US Open Semifinals, threatening to "shove this ball so far down your throat", followed by a few other less-than-flattering statements to that effect.
Tempers, tempers everywhere, huh? And honestly, the fact that they're celebrities doesn't make that much difference. Because seriously, whether it's a professional athlete threatening a referee with a tennis ball on national television or a ten-year-old having a tantrum in the cereal aisle of your local grocery store, "hissy fit" just isn't a pretty color on anyone.
And, as Christians, we ought to hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Why?
Well, I can think of at least three good reasons, straight from the Word of God.
1.) We are expected to imitate Christ, in both our actions and reactions.
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine our Savior threatening to shove a tennis ball down someone's throat. You probably either giggled or cringed, or maybe a little of both. It’s hard to imagine Christ totally losing it, especially for no good reason. (Granted, He did get pretty ticked at the people who were using the Temple as a marketplace, but I’m talking about full blown temper tantrums here.) By not submitting to the will of His emotions, He instead was able to submit fully to God’s will. What a fantastic example of how we ought to behave!
Christ is compared to a lamb (a very gentle, meek creature) in Jeremiah 11:19. But conversely, in chapter 5, verse 6 of that same book, the metaphor of a wolf (murderous and savage) is used to represent the Devil and his influence.
On that note, we’re also expected to be an example of our beliefs, and an ambassador of our faith. We are supposed to be a light in the darkness. Well, you’re certainly not lighting up anything by acting like a three-year-old when things don’t go your way. But a calm, collected response to adversity is a fantastic testament that you know you are God’s child and that you have decided to take the high road because of your faith.
Remember, we are supposed to be in His image! And according to Exodus 34:6-7, God is "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin".
2.) The Scriptures stress the importance of controlling one’s temper.
Consider the following verses from the book of Proverbs:
"A quick-tempered man does foolish things."
(14:17)
"A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly."
(14:29)
"A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel."
(15:18)
"Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city."
(16:32)
"A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered."
(17:27)
And how about the Lord's Prayer?
"Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us."
I'd say that's pretty clear. We need to be patient and kind to those around us.
3.) The Bible gives several concrete examples of Christians who got through rough times with faith and prayer when things didn’t go their way.
Job is the first person that comes to mind. He lost literally everything except his relationship with God, and yet he held onto that with all his might.
Then there’s Joseph being sold into slavery by his own brothers, Esther having to stand up for her people, Daniel in the lion’s den, the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace... and the list could go on forever, because the Bible describes so many women and men of amazing faith and courage who faced tremendous adversity and came through because of God’s grace.
These people, these prophets, they weren’t demigods or superheroes or even perfect people, and obviously their lives were far from perfect. They were men and women, like you and me. The only thing that set them apart from the rest of the world was how they reacted to the situations they faced.
How should we respond to life's trials? Job 1:22 bears a simple but breathtaking witness of how a prophet handled a seemingly impossible situation in an exceptionally Christian way: "And in all this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."
So, Brothers and Sisters, remember that you have a high calling as a believer! And you must control your temper if you are to accomplish what God would have you do in your life. Because when you let your emotions control your life, you are no longer letting God control your life. It is my fervent hope that each of you will come before the Lord in prayer today and ask Him to help you gain better a handle on your emotions, so that He can use you to do marvelous things for His cause.
Remember, as a Christian, you are called and commanded to keep your temper- and your tennis balls- under control! God bless you all.
~BYR
