He who is slow to anger is better
than the mighty. Proverbs
16:32 NKJV
Had I created mine, I would have shortened the
length and made it narrower.
The nose is an interesting part of the body’s
anatomy. I’ve heard it continues to grow as a person ages. And I have seen a number
of elderly senior adults with noses that have apparently followed the norm.
As a child, I smelled everything before I ate it.
I suppose I thought if it smelled bad it would taste the same way. Not always
true. Since smell is one of the most powerful memory tools, I’m glad—although
sometimes sad, that I have a sense of smell. Certain aromas can resurrect
things I’ve not thought about in years—or even remembered that I remember.
Growing my nose longer has never entered my
mind—but perhaps it should. The Hebrew word used for anger in the Old Testament
means “nostril” or “nose.” According to Hebrew psychology, the nose was the
beginning point of anger. One who was slow to anger was long of nose.
An interesting twist on this piece of my anatomy.
So interesting that I might indeed wish my nose would continue to grow. Anger
is one of those God-created emotions that almost everyone struggles with. The
emotion itself is neutral but rarely is it ever expressed in the same fashion.
Hurt, fear, and frustration resurrect it, and the temptation is to manifest it
in ways that will hurt others.
Being slow to anger is an art only God can help
me with. I may have genetic overtones or have lived through environmental situations
that make it easier for me to express my anger in unhealthy ways, but neither
excuse the responsibility for my actions. “I can’t help it” won’t cut the
mustard with God. Strength comes from learning to control the emotion.
I can grow my nose by temporarily or permanently
stepping away from an explosive situation, by being prayed up ahead of time, by
being familiar with what the Bible says about anger, by learning to think
before I act, by depending on God’s Spirit to help me do what I might not
ordinarily do, and by looking for beneficial ways to express my anger.
Don’t be ashamed of a long nose. It means you’re
mastering the anger button.
Prayer: Father, help us to express our anger
emotion in ways that please You and benefit others.
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