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Eccl.7:⁹ “Do not be quick to anger, for anger sits comfortably in the lap of fools.” (The Voice)

Do not let anger wreck your life, control it! Be determined that anger will not sit comfortably in your lap – push it away! For something to be sitting comfortably in your lap, the thing must have your permission. For anger to be sitting comfortably on your lap, you have to have permitted it or be enjoying the company. Before you take that fight to your boss, calm down! Some people reading this even now have made up their mind that come Monday, they will tell their boss off. God is saying, calm down! Before you take the fight to your landlord, calm down! So that you do not experience what it is like to sleep under the bridge, calm down. And this is so, so, so important. Before you take the fight to your parents, calm down!

Interestingly, some people actually do fight their parents. Some children take their parents to court. This typically does not happen in the Nigerian culture, but the western culture is really influencing ours both good and bad. So, there are people outside of the country 19, 20-year-olds taking their parents to court. And the parent is just thinking of how to smuggle them back to Nigeria. My grandmother would say, ‘before you demand to know what killed your father, make sure you have a sword in your hand. If you do not have a sword and you are demanding for answers, you will discover that the same thing that killed your father is still alive.’ The point is, do not confuse outrage with courage. There was a video some time ago making the rounds on social media. You may have seen it; about a dog that had been listening to motivational speakers and decided to take on a tiger. I am sure you can imagine how that ended.

There is a difference between audacity and foolishness. Before you take your fight to the tiger, calm down! They say that it is a big name that kills a small dog. Maybe the owner had been calling the dog, tiger, or jaguar, or even lion. If you have been told that you are a lion, please, you need to tell yourself the truth. Unto thyself be true! Unfortunately, the big-name killed the small dog. The dog was enraged and barking at the tiger, but there was no sound from the tiger. The fact that you are barking does not mean you have victory, just calm down! The dog was on the offensive, the tiger stepped back to understand what was actually going on. But the dog would not relent, and the tiger took care of the dog.

What does this mean for us? Seek to be greater but understand your limitations. Do not go and pull the tail of a tiger, it is common sense and not timidity. The flip side of this is, as Christians, we may look small like that dog but greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. However, we must not behave like that dog. People can underestimate you, but by the time the Lion of the tribe of Judah manifests, it will be a different story.

Prayer: Father, I ask that You fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit and that I will be Spirit controlled. Help me understand my limitations and where my strength is, in Jesus Name. Amen!