Stay Calm

Have you ever lost your temper and did something foolish, then greatly regretted it afterwards, wishing you had stayed calm and controlled your emotions? I know I have. I was born with auburn hair and I don't think that helped. I have a lock of hair in my childhood album to prove it.

They say a picture can speak volumes. Here is a picture of my twin brother and me as newborns. I am on the right, choking the life out of my brother. He was born first and I don't think I was too pleased about it.

The worst example I can remember of me losing my temper was when I was in Bible College. I had entered the lounge room to socialize, when the males there started teasing me that I hadn't yet kissed my boyfriend of several months. I was annoyed at first, but when the teasing continued, my annoyance turned into anger. I was being made fun of — yes, at Bible College even! I tried to pretend their teasing didn't bother me, but it did. They wouldn't let up. I should have walked away, but I didn't. I let my anger get the best of me. Disgusted and infuriated by now, I got up, looked at the guy who was teasing me the most and said, "Fine, I'll kiss you then!" And that is exactly what I did! I went up to him, put my hands on his shoulders and kissed him. Afterwards he looked at me dumbfounded and embarrassed. However, that was nothing compared to what I felt. I was horrified at what I had impulsively done. The first man I ever kissed was almost a stranger and much older than me. Most women have a special memory of their first kiss. Well, that was my memory and it wasn't special! I had lost my temper and acted foolishly.

The Bible says in Proverbs:

"Short-tempered people do foolish things."

Proverbs 14:17a

I sure wished I had read Proverbs 14 before I entered the lounge room that day. I know one thing, I will never forget what happened and the lesson I painfully learned. Feeling convicted, the man I kissed went to my boyfriend and apologized to him. With tears in his eyes, he then came to me to apologize. When my boyfriend later came to visit me, I was no longer angry, so I didn't get mad at him, even though I suspected it was him who told his friends. He was sure sheepish though. I guess Bible College students are not perfect. We were all learning.

A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted."

Proverbs 12:16

If you are feeling your temper rise, try to stay calm and walk away. Otherwise you will end up doing something as foolish as I did.

I think my mother should have named me "Anne Shirley" of "Anne of Green Gables".

I am sure glad for the Bible! Aren't you? It contains so much wisdom!