Text: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” – Proverbs 16:32.
Comment: defines anger as “a corrosive emotion that can run off with a person’s mental or physical health”. The American Psychological Association views anger as “an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong”.
In the Holy Bible, God Almighty inspired His servants to warn His people on the inherent dangers of sustained anger as contained in the main text for today. It could lead to violence or social disorder when not curtailed. Anger betrays one’s inner feelings bottled up over a period of time, like Absalom who concealed his anger for about two years against Amnon for defiling his sister, Tamar. John Dryden in one of his works said: “Beware the fury of a patient man”. In some homes, the inability to tame one’s anger had misled some husbands to assault their wives. Some have had to destroy their property in a fit of anger. It was Horace who said: “Anger is momentary madness…” And King Solomon puts it aptly: “He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly.” – Proverbs 14:17.
The Almighty Father does not keep His anger burning against us because “he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust”. (Psalm 103:8-14; 130:3,4). The prophet Micah talking about God said among other things that “he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy” (Micah 7:18). Worshippers of God should endeavour through prayers, self-determination, studies of the Scripture and practice of righteousness to put away anger.