Gaining ControlSample

ANGER MANAGEMENT On another occasion, again at suppertime, a woman, in an ecstasy of grief and remorse, wets Jesus’ feet with her copious tears and wipes them with her long hair. What a complete and total surrender of self was involved in this act! Her touching and profound repentance earned her an honorable mention for all time in His Word. Anyone else in Jesus’ position would either have been flattered or embarrassed had they had been singled out for this public display of devotion and attention. The former’s reaction could well have been, “Wow! This is great! And that too in front of all these big shots and friends! I hope everyone notices that it’s Chanel No. 5 and that those are real tears!” And the latter must have cringed inwardly and thought, “Oh, no, not in front of all these people! What will my host, Pastor Simon the Pharisee, think if he sees this loose woman kissing my feet? And everyone seems to be eyeing me suspiciously already. How terrible!” But Jesus’ sensitive and caring reaction not only opened the eyes of His host, but also absolved the woman of all her sins. Get more on this in Luke 7:36-38. Jesus never got a peaceful or restful moment unless he created it for Himself by going off to the top of a mountain. Wherever He went, He was touched, pushed, crowded, and jostled. He couldn’t walk on the beach like a normal person and had to climb into a boat to avoid getting trampled. He mixed with all sorts of people, rejected no one, invited everyone, worked tirelessly, and spoke incessantly. Of course, His patience was tried and tested on more than one occasion, but when the mercury rose, He adjusted the controls. Good strategy. He is the God of patience. On the rare occasions when He was angry, it was righteous anger, meant for our good. If the seed of His word has fallen in the good soil of our souls, we too can display kindness, tolerance, and grace to our fellowman or woman. Pull yourself together. Read a psalm. Sing a song of praise. Exhibit the fruits of the Spirit.