Blessed are the Peacemakers… Part 1

 “Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.”  (Robert Green Ingersoll)

Many people find it difficult to stay calm when angry

We live in an age of hate and violence, and instill anger in our children. Everywhere, violence rules.

The world needs peace, not violence and hate.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God,” (Matthew 5:9; New King James Version)

Blessed are the peacemakers When we are experiencing or expressing excessive anger, we use the emotional center of our brain, rather than the thinking part of the brain. We get out of control, and may do or say things without thinking properly.

Proverbs 16:32 says,

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city,”(New King James Version).

Chronically angry people have difficulty restraining themselves

Their emotions are like fire burning inside their bosoms. They cannot tolerate other people’s opinions. They usually respond by acting violently to register their displeasure.

Jesus commands us to be peacemakers. The world needs peace. The ability to stay calm when things go contrary to one’s expectations is important.

We can learn to cultivate self-control and tolerance if we use the methods we have previously discussed on this platform.

“Also do not take to heart everything people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. for many times, also, your own heart has known that even you have cursed others,” (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22).

For more on peacemaking go to…

Habits or behaviors are choices that we make

Anger is a characteristic, which we imbibed over a period, and which had become part of our characteristics. These choices eventually became part of our daily lives called habits. We can undo it just as we formed it. You can change and become a peacemaker.
Children born in angry and violent environments grow up practicing angry and violent behaviors. If we train our children to be non-violent and tolerant, they will grow up to be non-violent and tolerant.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it,” (Proverbs 22:6; New King James Version).

How to behave in angry situations

The emotional center of the brain reacts so quickly to threats that an angry person may react to anger feelings before the judgment and decision-making area of the brain responds. In other words, anger can make our bodies respond before our thinking brain has a chance to evaluate and decide what to do or how to react properly or wisely.

In anger, we may end up doing things we may later regret. Proverbs 14:29 says,

“He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly,” (New King James Version).

  • Stay calm in angry situations.
  • If you find it difficult to stay calm, find something else to do, or walk away and allow yourself time to calm down.

“The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression,” (Proverbs 19:11; New King James Version)

When you calm down, and the thinking part of your brain reengages, you can then deal appropriately with the issue.
Proverbs 17:14 says,

“The beginning of strife is like releasing water, therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts,” (New King James Version).

Abigail Van Buren said, “People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.”
Deal with your emotions

  • Be calm and tolerate your opponent, no matter how he or she shouts at you
  • Don’t be offended by his or her offensive attitude

Seneca said, “The greatest remedy for anger is delay.”
Control your angry responses or emotions by restraining yourself. When you repeat the action over a time you will eventually develop a forbearing attitude. Our habits are the actions that we repeated until they became automatic or almost automatic.

Read Rockeybell’s testimony/conversion
To be continued