Boy, Am I Mad!
“I don’t want to wash the dishes,”
Shelly yelled at the top of her lungs.
“And I don’t want to read 100 pages in this old book,"
she slammed the book down on the kitchen table.
Shelly’s dad hurried into the kitchen after hearing
his daughter’s temper tantrum.
“Settle down, Shelly—what is all the yelling about?”
“I had a BAD day and boy, am I mad!
Mrs. Web expects too much from us! I really HATE her!”
Shelly said angrily.
“You don’t really mean that and being angry
isn’t going to help anything.”
“It may not HELP but I can’t stop this anger,
it’s just how I FEEL!” explained Shelly.
“We all have emotions like anger, fear, and joy
but it’s not an excuse to just let them run rampant!
God has some rules we need to follow.
And when we ask Him into our lives,
then He will even help you to follow them!”
Her dad continued, “Ephesians 4:26 says, ‘Be angry
and do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your wrath.’
What do you think that verse means?”
Samantha, “Hummm, if I’m going to be angry,
I shouldn’t do or say something that is wrong.”
“Great! For example, you might be angry with your teacher
but don’t call her a bad name. What about, ‘do not let the sun
go down on your wrath?” asked her dad.
“Well,” said Samantha, “Maybe that means you shouldn’t
go to bed still being mad at someone.”
“That’s right and you should try to work things out
with that person and not let the anger build up inside of you.
Part of that solution can be forgiving that person.
What do you think would happen if you stay angry forever
and never try to work things out?”
“I don’t know,” said Samantha honestly.
“Do you know Mr. Jerkins down the street?”
“That grouchy old man, everyone knows him.
Are you trying to say he is that way because
he’s angry?”
“Exactly, he was angry with some people years ago
and has never forgiven them and that
anger has turned into bitterness.” explained her dad.
“Wow, what a terrible thing.” Samantha shook her head slowly.
“The Bible has good advice about anger.
Proverbs 15:1 says ‘A soft answer turns away wrath
but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Samantha smiled, “So, if someone is mad
at me I shouldn’t shout back at them.”
“Bingo! Right again. Proverbs 14:17 says
‘He who is slow to anger has great understanding
but he who is impulsive exacts folly.’
What do you think that means?”
“Well, don’t be too quick to get angry or
you’ll get in trouble.” replied Samantha.
“If you think before you act then you are less likely
to lose control of yourself,” added Samantha’s dad.
“I’m going to try, Dad,” Samantha said quietly,
“Really I am but I know I’ll need God’s help!”
“Samantha, we ALL need God’s help,
every day of our lives,” and with
that they hugged for the longest time.
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This story written by Barb Marshall
Used with permission