Posts Tagged: Proverbs 22:24-25
“Infectious and Lethal”
No, this is not a post about a deadly pandemic virus. I am speaking about hanging around with people who are prone to fits of anger.
The Bible—as well as common sense and our parents who may have had some common sense after all—tells us that we should be careful who we hang out with. We don’t just come to like our friends; we also become like our friends.
In the Old Testament, it is especially the book of Proverbs that makes this point repeatedly. For example, Prov. 13:20 tells us, “whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” (English Standard Version)
Proverbs 22:24-25 is even more emphatic.
“24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.” (English Standard Version)
Commenting on Proverbs 22:25, Bruce K. Waltke writes, “The habits of the hothead are both infectious (verset A) and lethal (verset B).” It is wise to remember that snares are meant to trap and kill animals. Entangling yourself in the snare of anger is means that you are dressing for your own funeral.
Now, this is good advice, but I have a huge problem: I myself am a hothead. How on earth do I avoid hanging around myself? Wherever I go, there I almost always am. I can try to avoid the company of other hotheads, but what do I do when I am the hothead?
The Apostle Paul has some counsel for people like me: Lay your hothead aside! “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” (Colossians 3:8, English Standard Version)
How do you put something away? You just do it. It is not that big a deal. I’ve noticed that, even when I am getting angry—even very angry—I can still choose to be in control. I don’t always, but I can choose that path.
One more thought that some of you my readers will really like, and some will not like at all. Avoid the internet and the 24/7 news programs as much as possible. Many internet sites (as well as some of the news services) have a lot of really good and helpful things, but there is also a lot of vitriol. I have discovered that I do not cease to be if I don’t click on political discussions.
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
- “Even a Sliver of Light” April 9, 2024“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:6, English Standard Version) I missed the total eclipse yesterday. There were a number of good reasons for this, but […]
- “The Process in Miracles and the Miracle of Process” March 11, 2024“2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids […]
- “The Power of Encouragement—Even for Old People” March 10, 2024“But encourage each other every day while it is ‘today.’ Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you.” (Hebrews 3:13, New Century Version) Yesterday, I was walking at a nearby park. There was a large group of young people some of whom were running while other young people […]
- “Endurance” March 10, 2024“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” (Hebrews 10:36, English Standard Version) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us […]
- “The Limits of Non-Judgmentalism” February 24, 2024“Matt. 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. Matt. 7:2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2, English Standard Version) This morning, in my virtual 12-step meeting, we discussed the topic of judgmentalism. There were many wise […]
- “Delighting in Being Told What to Do?!?” February 23, 2024“Psa. 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures […]
- “Character is the Real Lesson” January 19, 2024I am often confused about what lesson I’m really supposed to be learning. For example, this morning I was trying to knock out several Spanish lessons. My intentions were a lot better than my internet connection. I’ve done three lessons. Or rather, I’ve done two lessons. One of them I did twice because the internet […]
- “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked” January 1, 2024Each year, I try to come up with one word or a short phrase for what I intend to work on in the upcoming year. 2024 is “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked”. What?!! What does that even mean? So glad that you asked! Jesus said to his disciples, “Why do you look at the speck […]
- “Searching for the Noble One” December 26, 2023My wife and I were reading Luke, chapter 2 on Christmas Day. Luke 2 talks about the shepherds being told to look for this very special child—in fact, this King—in a stable. I prefer the word “barn”. I grew up on a farm. I know what a barn is. A stable is entirely too biblical […]
- “That Don’t Impress God Much” December 14, 2023DTEB, “That Don’t Impress God Much” “That Don’t Impress Me Much” (Song by Robert John Lange and Shania Twain) Micah 6:8 (MSG) “But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be […]
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