JUN 29

Proverbs 16:32
Memorise Proverbs 25:28
“it is easier to conquer cities than to control one’s temper”

Proverbs 16:32 describes a very interesting contrast. It compares a mighty warrior who conquers a city to a man who controls his anger and spirit. Amazingly, it is the latter who is proclaimed as better by the Word of God. This means that it is actually easier to conquer cities and be powerful in warfare than to control one’s temper. Alexander the Great is a good example of a mighty conqueror who won many battles but in a fit of anger, killed Cleitus, one of his best friends, after a quarrel. Proverbs 25:28 describes further that a man who has no rule over his own spirit is “like a city that is broken down, and without walls”. Without control over his own temperament, he is ruled by his emotions and his actions erratically follow his passions. There are no boundaries or guards against his moods which are thrown back and forth like the wind. As a result, he becomes like a city without walls which are the stronghold of protection for the city. He is left exposed to every temptation and sin by allowing his spirit to rule him.

God does not want us to be ruled by every whim and fancy of our temperament. He wants us to practise self-control and act according to His Word instead of reacting emotionally. It is not easy to learn how to control your spirit, especially in your teenage years as this usually takes years of maturity and experience to learn. However, by acknowledging the need to control your spirit and actively watching out for times when you might lose control of your spirit, you start out on the right foot to learn self-control. Such times would include disagreements with your parents where you may feel anger and a rebellious spirit welling up inside you. An alarm should go off in your mind and you should quickly quench this anger before it explodes into hurtful and dishonouring words to your parents. Another example would be when feelings of jealousy or envy arise in your heart when you compare yourself with others and covet what they have. You may covet someone’s possessions and their ability to afford them. You may also covet someone’s qualities and popularity. It is important then to prevent these emotions from going out of control such that it leads to sin. As you slowly learn about how your spirit reacts, you can stop it from going out of control earlier and therefore, serve God better.

Thought: Can you identify certain circumstances where you may lose control of your spirit? What can you do to help yourself control your spirit better in these situations?
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to learn to control my spirit better.