Have you ever done something foolish due to your anger? I have. I once hit a door with my fist, bruising my hand, and making a hole in the door.
In childlike temper tantrums, angry people throw chairs, smash dishes, and dent cars, all in a vain attempt to appease their temper. Recent FBI statistics reveal that one violent crime occurs every 24 seconds, an aggravated assault every 48 seconds, and a murder every 23 minutes. Domestic violence is the top cause of visits to emergency rooms by women. During the Vietnam War, more women were murdered at home than men were slain on the battlefield.
Anger is not limited to physical violence. Anger plays a major role in virtually every divorce and wreaks havoc in many marriages where people are separated emotionally. Parents who do not learn to manage anger wound children, who grow up to repeat the pattern. Psychologists report that 50 percent of all their patients have anger-related issues.
Anger causes us to lose jobs, friends, marriages, homes, families, and careers. Why? When you are angry, you are not simply upset—you are insane. You are not reasoning correctly because your brain is flooded with adrenaline. You lose perspective and rationality.
After the angry outbursts, when you return to your senses, you regretfully survey the damage: the hurtful words, the broken relationships, the stupid decisions. For me, the hole I punched in the door cost me $100 and two days of time to find, buy, paint, and hang the door. Some painful consequences of foolish behavior may last a lifetime.
So when you are angry, stop, take a few breaths, and consider the consequences, before you rashly act foolishly.
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About Rick Ezell
I am a husband, father, pastor, and writer.
This blog is about shaping character, transforming church, and impacting culture. I believe that if one defines their moments then their moments will determine their character and their character will influence their world.
I write on personal development, church leadership, and our changing culture. I also write about the resources I am developing and the books I am writing.
My goal is to create challenging, relevant, and inspiring content that will help you be a better person, the church be a better parish, and the world a better place. If you are interested in those things, this blog is for you.
I have served the church my entire career as a student minister and senior pastor. I studied at Samford University, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary (eventually I will get it).
I have written eight books. My most recent ones are Chapter 13: The Excellence of Love and Soul Therapy: The Healing Words of Psalm 23. Both are available as eBooks. I have written over 1000 articles for various local, regional, and national publications.
I have been married to Cindy for thirty-three years. We have one wonderful daughter. We live in Greenville, SC.
In my free time, I enjoy writing, reading, running, tennis, and golf.
You can contact me via email or follow me on Twitter or Facebook.
This is my personal blog. The opinions I express here do not necessarily represent those of my employer. The information I provide is on an as-is basis. I make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information on this blog and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its use.
