In speaking about anger, someone once quipped, “The smaller the pot, the quicker it’s hot!” Usually that which is begun in anger ends in shame. This is confirmed by the writer James (1:20): “The wrath (anger) of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” During the time when Leonardo da Vinci was working on his painting “The Last Supper”, he became infuriated with a certain man. He simply lost his temper and lashed out at the other fellow with bitter words and threats. Returning to his canvas, he attempted to work on the face of Jesus, but was unable to do so. The guilt (as a result of his fit of uncontrolled temper) rested so heavily on him that he couldn’t compose himself to do the painstaking detail. Finally he put down his brushes and sought out the man and asked his forgiveness. The man accepted da Vinci’s apologies, and when the world famous artist went back to the canvas, he then was able to finish painting the face of Christ.
In a similar manner, we too need to ask forgiveness of those whom we’ve wronged through our fits of temper, anger, and rage.
When I have lost my temper
I have lost my reason too.
I’m never proud of anything
Which angrily I do.
When I have talked in anger,
And my cheeks were flaming red,
I have always uttered something
Which I wish I had not said.
In anger, I have never
Done a kindly deed or wise,
But many things for which I felt
I should apologize.
–Author unknown
Evangelist Billy Sunday once said, “You say that you have a bad temper, but that it’s over in a minute. So’s a shotgun, but it blows everything to pieces!” May we take seriously the holy mandate of Ephesians 4:31-32: “Let all.. anger…be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
