Temper! Temper! - Answers
1) Your answers may vary:
- You may have answered fairly specifically: I lose my temper because I'm annoyed, I'm out of patience, I don't like someone or something, I don't care anymore, I lost my self-control, I needed to release my anger, a pet peeve upset me, etc.
- You may have answered more generally: We're sinful human beings, and an unwarrented temper is a product of that. Additionally, the self-centered characteristic of the sinful nature fuels ill temperment (our sinful tendency is not to consider how our temper will affect others or what it will portray to them).
2) That knowledge is about following God's will: shunning evil (Proverbs 14:16), controlling our words (Proverbs 16:23, 17:27), being patient (Proverbs 14:29, 19:11), practicing self-control (Proverbs 17:27, 29:11).
3) Many of the passages listed in the Bible study outline the consequences of harboring angry feelings. These include:
- recklessness (Proverbs 14:16-17)
- being hated (Proverbs 14:16-17)
- dissension (Proverbs 14:29)
- stirring up anger (Proverbs 15:1)
- misfortune (Proverbs 18:7)
- spiritually in danger (Matthew 5:22)
- guilty of murder (1 John 3:15)
Additionally, harboring angry feelings is directly against what God commands:
- "Go and be reconciled to your brother..." (Matthew 5:24)
- [Love] is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:5)
- "Everyone should be...slow to become angry" (James 1:19)
- "Do everything without complaining or arguing" (Phlippians 2:14).
4) A person's actions reflect what is at their core. If faith is living and active, evil will not come out of the mouth of such a person; their "fresh water" words will reflect their faith. If faith is fading or non-existent, evil will come out of the mouth of such a person, and any praise that comes out is most likely offered hypocritically or by false motives.
5) You can expect that such a person will start to be influenced by and exihibit similar unrighteous behaviors. This occurs as our consciences are dulled and our sinful nature gives in to sin because of repeated exposure to the thoughts/words/actions that are made to look OK but are actually sinful.
6) Once the first unkind word is spoken ("the breach/crack"), it is much easier for more unkind words to follow. Additionally, like a cracked dam would need repair, unkind words lead to the need to repair a relationship. Those repairs are often long and difficult, and could have been avoided completely had the unkind words never been spoken...
7) Listening, instead of speaking, will give a person time to collect their thoughts and for emotions to subside, that is, to "keep their cool."
8) We should pray to God, asking him to help us fight the temptation to lose our temper.
9) The key to overcoming anger is to have the kind of love for everyone that Jesus did. That love wants to bring all people to know salvation through Jesus and to practice love that is self-less, patient and kind. The key is by faith, and we obtain it through studying God's Word and prayerful request.
10) We should ask forgiveness from God and the person we have wronged. We should move forward knowing that our sin is forgiven in Jesus and taking joy in that forgiveness. We should then pratice Christ-like love for others.